Start with business-critical information
Customer documents, accounts files, working documents, templates, photographs, project files and other records may all matter. Identify what would cause real disruption if it disappeared tomorrow.
Check individual computers
Cloud services reduce local storage, but desktops and laptops can still contain important files, sometimes saved outside the folders you think are protected.
Do not forget specialist software data
Some applications store databases, settings or files separately from normal documents. Understand how important application data would be recovered.
A sync is not automatically a complete backup strategy
Synchronisation is useful, but understand what happens if a file is deleted, overwritten or an account becomes unavailable. Retention and version history may matter.
Know who can restore it
A backup has limited value if nobody knows how to recover the data. Document the process and protect the credentials needed to use it.
Test the recovery
The goal is not simply to create copies. The goal is to recover useful information when it is needed. Periodic checks help confirm that the process actually works.
BMD VIEW
We use digital to solve real business problems. The right answer depends on the business, the people using it and what you are actually trying to achieve.
