Contents of CPA Practice Advisor - MAR 2012

Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.

Page 6 of 38

TIPS & TRICKS
THE FIRST WAY TO DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY OF DATA BACKUPS IS TO TAKE HUMANS OUT OF THE PICTURE.
countless other disasters. With the redundancy and geographic separa- tion of web-based backup, however, it is virtually impossible for the data to be lost because of one or more of these events. In addition to govern- ment-level encryption, all of the major data backup providers also have strong physical security at their locations, including armed guards, biometric technologies and many have security audits and testing, including meeting the requirements of the Statement on Standards for At estation Engagements (SSAE) No. 16, which replaced SAS 70 as the new attestation standard for service organizations. For those who note that even the
How Web-Based Backup Avoids these Pitfalls. T e fi rst way to dramatically improve the reliability of data backups is to take humans out of the picture. Yes, as I noted above, technology fails at times, too, but us humans are more likely to forget even routine things. A central feature to almost all web-based backup systems available for both consumers and professional busi- nesses is that, aſt er initial setup, they automatically perform the functions at pre-scheduled times (such as in the middle of the night, so it doesn't slow down your computers while you and your staff are using them). When it comes to security, these online systems also stand above local solutions such as external hard drives or discs, and for several reasons. To start with, they automatically encrypt all data before it is uploaded and the data remains encrypted while it is stored at the backup service provider. Additionally, most advanced systems don't just back up your data to one location, but to at least two or more locations in geographically diverse areas of the country.
With no backup or with backup in
your offi ce, the data is at risk from fi re, fl ood, tornados, earthquakes, hurri- canes, theſt , computer crashes and
government, banks and other fi nancial institutions get hacked, yes, no system is perfect. But from a hacker's perspec- tive, which would be easier to target: Several small accounting fi rms with bare bones security, or a technology
powerhouse? T e odds of cloud-based client data being compromised are much less than data stored within a fi rm's offi ce. What would you do if your client
data went MIA tomorrow? With cloud-based, online backup, if one of the above disasters did happen to the computers in your offi ce, the client data and even all of the other entire contents, programs and email on those computers could be quickly retrieved and installed on brand new computers. With no backup plan in place, your odds are bet er at a Las Vegas slot machine, and even with a local system in place, you may be fl ipping a coin. T e diff erence is potentially the
choice of a day or two of downtime as you get the data back and get new systems up and running, or early retirement as many of your clients look for a more reliable fi rm.
PROFESSIONAL ONLINE DATA BACKUP SERVICES
T e following companies off er trusted online backup solutions that meet the needs of small and mid-sized businesses. While there are many consumer-level systems and also free versions of some of the business ones, they generally don't have the storage space required for accounting fi rms managing dozens or even hundreds of client QuickBooks fi les or other accounting data.
BarracudaNetworks (www.barracudanetworks.com/backup) Carbonite Business Backup (www.Carbonite.com/business) CrashPlan PROe (www.crashplan.com/enterprise) eTegrity (www.compunite.com) iBackup Professional (www.iBackup.com/professional) IronMountain (IronMountain.com) Gillware Backup for Accountants (backup.Gillware.com/ap) MozyPro (www.Mozy.com/pro)
If you are only wanting to backup essential client data such as QB fi les, tax, etc., then multiply the number of clients by 0.10 GB. If you want to have everything on a workstation backed up, including system and fi les, plus client data, then estimate at a full 1 GB per client, which also allows for average fi rm fi les. Pricing will range from about $20 per month for essential data only, to $50-$100 per month for backing up everything, depending upon the number of clients. Networked servers can also be backed up at reasonable costs, but they vary greatly, so check with a vendor.)
March 2012 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com 7