What is the best practice for backing up my data?

FAQ · Backup Best Practice

Best practice for backing up data is a documented policy covering six areas: a combined local-and-cloud backup, using true cloud backup rather than cloud storage, consistent IT and security policies for every user regardless of location, professional (paid) anti-virus and anti-spam software, control of mobile devices holding personal data, and full-disk encryption on laptops.

The six elements of a proper backup policy

Belt-and-braces backup: both a local backup (protecting against internet outages) and a cloud backup (protecting against local hardware failure and ransomware), applied whether you are a single user or a business with servers and a network.
Cloud storage is not cloud backup: files sitting in a storage service remain fully vulnerable to ransomware; a professional cloud backup system provides end-to-end encryption and a complete system restore, which storage does not.
Consistent access policies: anyone with access to company systems — employee or not, local or remote — should be subject to the same IT and security policies as an on-site staff member.
Professional anti-virus and anti-spam: paid, business-grade versions rather than free or consumer-tier tools.
Mobile device control: devices carrying personal data (client, employee, supplier) present a data protection risk and must fall under the same company IT policy as any other device.
Laptop encryption: encrypting hard drives on laptops protects data if the device is lost or stolen, which a backup alone does not address.

Why this needs to be a written policy, not an assumption

Each of these six elements is a specific, checkable control. Writing them into a documented IT policy — rather than assuming they are 'probably in place' — is what lets a business actually verify its own backup and data protection posture, and demonstrate it to clients, auditors or regulators when asked.

Frequently asked questions

Do all six elements apply even to a very small business?

Yes — a single-person or small operation still handles client, financial and personal data that needs the same protection; the scale of implementation is smaller, but the principles are the same.

What's the quickest win if we currently have none of this in place?

Start with a documented IT policy covering access control and mobile devices, alongside deploying a genuine cloud backup solution such as NeoVault — these close the largest gaps fastest.

How does laptop encryption relate to backup?

They solve different problems — backup recovers data after loss or corruption, while encryption protects data confidentiality if a device itself is lost or stolen; a complete policy needs both.

Related services and guides

Practical advice, no obligation

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1. We recommend a belt and brace approach. A local backup and a cloud backup. This applies to single-PC/laptop users and companies with servers and networks alike. Local backups protect you from internet accessibility failures (they do happen!) and cloud backup protects you from local failures, and is also an invaluable defence against Ransomware. 2. Cloud storage is NOT Cloud backup. A professional cloud backup system has end-to-end encryption and provides for a complete system restore. Files in Cloud storage are fully susceptible to ransomware. Find out more here: https://neovault.net/ 3. Anyone who has access to company systems -whether an employee or not, whether local or remote – should be subject to the same IT and security policies as locally-based employees. If you don’t have any IT policies in place, strongly recommend that you do so. 4. Anti-virus and anti-spam software should be professional, ie paid, versions. 5. Mobile devices carrying personal data – client, employee, supplier etc – are a GDPR risk and need to fall under the company IT policy umbrella. 6. Encrypt the hard drives on your laptops