Your business runs on data. There is no question about it. From accounting and inventory to payroll and customer orders, the information stored on your computers keeps your business going. It only stands to reason that it is vital for you to keep a current back-up of your data at all times.

When considering a data management plan for your business, the list of "what ifs" is very long. What if a natural disaster strikes? What if user error causes your systems to lose data? What if your equipment is stolen or damaged? And on, and on and on.

Prevention is always better than a cure and the best way to prevent data loss is to maintain a back-up system.

By far the cheapest way to back up your data is to do it yourself on removable media, i.e. CD/DVD, Zip, tape or several other formats. While this can be very cost effective as far as the actual back up media, it can be very expensive in terms of the time it takes to produce and maintain these back up solutions.

This is not the way a modern business should be backing up their data.

The best solution all around for most businesses is to maintain an off site back- up. The cost of creating and maintaining a private off site data backup can be very expensive, but there are a handful of companies that provide affordable, disaster proof data storage services.

When using a full-service, business class data back-up service, your data is sent electronically to a completely secure facility that is guarded around the clock and certified to protect your information in the event of a flood or other catastrophic event. Sometimes called electronic vaulting or e-vaulting, sending back-ups off site ensures systems and servers can be reloaded with the latest data in the event of a natural disaster, accidental error, or system crash. This also insures that a copy of pertinent data is maintained at all times in a remote location, safe from harm that may occur at your facility. Typically these systems are encrypted, making this a convenient, secure and cost effective solution to the problem of data loss.

When you are searching for a data back-up company, it is important that you look for a company that follows the guidelines of the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) that mandate the protection of data.

One of these major data back-up companies is Accurate Data Storage. ADS provides secure, reliable and affordable online data back-up storage that is available to businesses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. ADS consultants provide you with software to connect to their remote servers, as well as assist you in setting up a back-up schedule and choosing the amount of back-up storage space that is specifically optimized for your business.

Accurate Data Storage uses a 128-bit encryption to protect your files during the transfer. Your data is then stored in a password-protected vault at a World Class, disaster proof data center, protected by biometric locks, full-time security professionals and long-life diesel generators.

Regardless of which remote data back up company you choose, keep in mind that your business relies on the safety and security of your data. Make sure to ask questions about NIST compliance and the features of the site where your provider data servers are located.

Your business data is too important to risk being improperly backed-up or stored in a location that is less than secure.