Backing up data from employee laptops used at home is a critical part of protecting your business information. When staff work remotely, their devices often hold important files, emails, and applications needed for day-to-day operations. Without proper backup, any data stored on these laptops could be lost due to hardware failure, accidental deletion, or cyberattacks like ransomware.
Why this matters for Australian SMBs
For small and mid-sized businesses in Australia, losing access to key data can lead to costly downtime, lost productivity, and damage to customer trust. If an employee's laptop is compromised or breaks down, and there's no backup, your business risks losing financial records, client communications, or project files. Additionally, Australian privacy regulations expect businesses to safeguard personal and sensitive information, which includes data on remote devices.
A practical example
Consider a 50-person accounting firm based in Melbourne with many staff working from home. One day, an employee's laptop is infected with ransomware, locking all files. Because the firm's IT provider had implemented automated backups for all laptops, including those at home, the IT team quickly restores the employee's data from the backup system. This minimises downtime and prevents the firm from paying a ransom or losing client data.
Checklist: What to do about remote laptop backups
- Ask your IT provider: Do your backup services cover laptops used remotely? How often are backups performed, and where is the data stored?
- Check backup scope: Confirm that backups include all critical files, emails, and system settings on employee laptops, not just servers or office desktops.
- Review backup security: Ensure backups are encrypted both in transit and at rest to protect sensitive business and customer data.
- Test restore procedures: Regularly verify that data can be successfully restored from backups, including from remote devices.
- Set clear policies: Define which devices must be backed up and communicate this to employees working from home.
- Monitor backup status: Use tools or reports to track backup completion and quickly address any failures.
- Consider cloud backup solutions: These often simplify backing up remote laptops by automatically syncing data to secure offsite storage.
Common pitfalls to avoid
Some businesses assume that employee laptops are backed up just because office servers are. However, without explicit remote backup policies and technology, laptops at home can be overlooked. Another risk is relying on employees to manually back up their data, which is often inconsistent and incomplete. Finally, storing backups locally on the same device or network can leave you vulnerable if a cyberattack affects both the laptop and its backup.
To protect your business, it's wise to work with a managed IT provider who understands the challenges of remote work and can implement comprehensive backup and disaster recovery plans that include employee laptops. This helps ensure your data stays safe, your team remains productive, and your business can recover swiftly from unexpected incidents.