Deciding where to store your business backups—onsite at your premises or offsite in a different location—is a key part of protecting your data. Onsite backups mean your data is stored locally, such as on external hard drives or a network-attached storage device in your office. Offsite backups involve storing copies of your data in a remote location, often in the cloud or at a dedicated data centre. Both approaches have advantages and risks, and the right choice depends on your business's needs and risk profile.
Why backup location matters for your business
Data loss or downtime can disrupt your operations, reduce staff productivity, and damage customer trust. For example, a ransomware attack might encrypt your onsite files, making them inaccessible. If your backups are also onsite and connected to the same network, they could be compromised too. Alternatively, a fire or flood at your office could physically destroy onsite backup devices, leaving you without a recovery option. Offsite backups help mitigate these risks by keeping your data separate from your main site.
For Australian small and mid-sized businesses, compliance with privacy expectations and industry standards often requires secure, reliable backup solutions. Losing customer data or operational records can lead to reputational damage or regulatory scrutiny. Ensuring your backups are stored safely and can be restored quickly is essential to maintaining business continuity.
A typical scenario: how a good IT partner helps
Consider a Melbourne-based accounting firm with 50 staff. They kept daily backups on an external drive stored in their office. One day, a burst water pipe damaged the server room, destroying the onsite backup device. Without offsite backups, they faced days of downtime and costly data recovery efforts. After this incident, their managed IT provider implemented an automated cloud backup solution, storing encrypted copies of their data offsite. This allowed the firm to quickly restore files after a later ransomware incident, minimising disruption and protecting client information.
Practical checklist: what to do next
- Ask your IT provider: Where are backups stored? Are they onsite, offsite, or both? How often are backups performed and tested?
- Check backup security: Are backups encrypted in transit and at rest? Who has access to backup data?
- Review recovery procedures: How quickly can data be restored? Has your provider performed regular disaster recovery drills?
- Compare proposals: Look for backup solutions that include offsite storage, automated scheduling, and clear service level agreements (SLAs) on recovery times.
- Perform internal checks: Verify that backup devices are physically secure and access is limited to authorised personnel only.
- Consider hybrid approaches: Combining onsite backups for quick restores with offsite backups for disaster resilience often provides the best balance.
Next steps
Choosing the right backup strategy is critical to safeguarding your business data and operations. Speak with a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor who understands the specific risks faced by Australian small and mid-sized businesses. They can help assess your current backup setup, recommend improvements, and implement solutions tailored to your needs—helping you reduce downtime and protect your business reputation.