For many businesses, it’s the end of an era. Windows 7, long counted on as a more suitable alternative to Windows 10 for many organizations running legacy hardware and software, will no longer be supported by Microsoft after January 14, 2020. Many Revolution Networks clients trust this older version of the iconic operating system for a number of reasons, including its dependability, performance, and user-friendliness. Why is this happening, and what can your business do to navigate the seas of change? Let’s take a deeper look and face the future together.
Why is it Happening?
All operating systems are built around predetermined lifecycles. With that in mind, it’s a normal process for breakthroughs in software and hardware to demand updated operating systems that can take advantage of new innovations. However, the primary reason Windows 7 is being put out to pasture is security. Malware and other forms of viral code are vastly different today than they were ten years ago, meaning outdated software is much more likely to trigger an attack.
As a small business owner that accesses the Internet from your computer systems you understand the importance of protecting your valuable data from hackers and others who commit cyber-crimes. What you may not realize is the importance of backing up your data in a safe and secure manner to ensure that in the event of a loss or a breach in your security you are able to restore your systems quickly.
Due to cost and convenience many business owners perform on site data backup. While at one time this was the best option, remote backup has replaced this old method for many reasons. One of the most obvious reasons on site backup is not ideal is that in the event of a loss due to theft, fire or flood, the backed up data can easily be lost. Server systems are prone to hardware failure in time and eventually become obsolete which is another major factor in backup costs. Finally, the medium on which your backup data is stored is cost prohibitive and restoration of lost data can be very laborious and time-consuming which adds to the overall cost.
The data you collect as you operate your business is a valuable asset. Whether it be customer information, accounting, inventory or any number of critical information types, remote backup is essential to protect your data.
Data backups are not a new practice however, typical backup systems are not the safest route to take to protect your company’s data. If you were to suffer a break in or a natural disaster such as flooding that made your internal servers unavailable, your backed up data would be useless. If your information is backed up to the cloud, you can be up and running again the same day that you suffer the loss. This can be invaluable for your business’ continuity.
There are several benefits to remote backup services that go beyond the ability to restore your data in the event of a loss.
- • Data backup providers meet stringent conditions to ensure your information is protected and available at all times.