Does your business need long-term backup storage?

Long-term storage for your backup data is key to cybersecurity and disaster recovery. You never know when you'll need access to an old file, folder, or document. Keep your data protected and recoverable with long-term backup storage.

What is long-term backup storage?

Long-term backup storage is a way to permanently and persistently store data you have backed up.

This differs from quick file recovery solutions that are often offered with cloud storage. Cloud storage may be recommended for disaster recovery from events such as accidental file deletion and data corruption.

Long-term backup storage ensures you can access your files many years after you backed them up. As a result, long-term backup storage is also sometimes referred to as “long-term data retention.”

It’s worth noting that long-term backup storage is not the same as data archiving. Here’s the difference:

• Backups are copies of data that you need to access regularly
• Archives are for important data that you need to keep but don’t need to use or revise often

What to consider with long-term backup storage

Any storage solution you choose should be cost-effective and affordable. This doesn’t mean going for the least expensive option—why buy a stack of cheap CDs when you can have something scalable like cloud backup?

Compatibility is also important for long-term backup storage. Even if your backup storage solution works for your business now, it may not in the future. This could rule out any local storage options. For example, many modern devices like the MacBook Air no longer have built-in CD-DVD drives.

Likewise, only choose backup storage you know is trustworthy and reliable. The safety of your data should be a priority—don’t settle for a storage system that is vulnerable to cyberattacks, ransomware, or any other threats.

How to store backup data long-term

Many storage devices become redundant over time. Just look at the floppy disk. Can you imagine backing up all your data on a few 2 MB floppy disks today? Something that seems long-term may only have a lifespan of 5 to 10 years.

With this in mind, the following are some of the most effective long-term backup solutions available today.

Flash drives and external hard drives

External hard drives are a well-established long-term storage solution. All you need to do is copy your data to the connected drive in the same way you would copy a file from one folder to another.

Flash drives like USBs and memory cards are a kind of flash storage. They use flash memory, which means they will retain your data even if you lose power. Flash drives are ideal for portability and transferring files when an internet connection isn’t possible.

Although flash drives are relatively stable, they’re not very reliable. External hard drives last longer and have more capacity than flash drives. But, because these are physical devices, they can be easily lost, stolen, or damaged beyond repair. 

Pros of flash drives and external drives:

• Readily available and portable
• Becoming more affordable

Cons of flash drives and external drives:

• Will gradually degrade with each write cycle
• Risk of data corruption
• Limited capacity that can’t be scaled
• A single point of failure
• Vulnerable to damage, misplacement, and theft

In a nutshell, it’s definitely worth including a flash drive or external hard drive in your preparations for emergency data recovery. However, this should be combined with an offsite, online solution like cloud backup to keep your data and files safe long into the future.

RAID technology

RAID stands for “Redundant Array of Independent Disks”. This method involves grouping multiple hard drives to boost storage capacity. There are different levels of RAID, from 0 (ideal for speed) to 10 (ideal for maximum data protection).

RAID systems can store backup data on a much larger scale than single hard drives. You can configure a RAID setup to act as a large volume drive, or as a real-time backup system. If you use a Mac, you could also connect a RAID system to your built-in Time Machine backup software.

RAID technology has been around for a long time, but it works best for large organizations. It needs ongoing management and maintenance, so will require expertise and resources that you may not have as a small business, or as a solopreneur.

Pros of RAID technology:

• More reliable than single hard drives
• Device software will warn you of any system failures

Cons of RAID technology:

• Single point of failure
• Difficult to implement and complex to optimize
• Requires in-house resources and expertise
• Not ideal for small businesses
• Can be expensive

CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray discs

In terms of storage capabilities, CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray discs work in a similar way to flash drives. All you really have to do is insert your disc to a drive, then copy your files onto the disc.

These methods of data storage may seem pretty old-fashioned now—just think, when was the last time you actually listened to a CD? However, optical discs can still be a good way of storing backup copies of data for the foreseeable future.

A CD, DVD, or Blu-Ray storage system can operate well for decades if stored safely, but they can break easily too. Compared to other storage mediums, they have a pretty short lifespan and restricted capacities.

As your small business grows, the number of discs you need for backup storage will expand. Managing this will be a hassle, and not sustainable long-term. Because of this, you should never use optical discs as your primary backup storage solution.

Cloud backup storage

Cloud backup stores data in an offsite data center that is hosted online by a third-party provider. You can consolidate data from multiple devices and recover files whenever or wherever you like, as long as you have an internet connection.

Cloud backup can be set up to work automatically. A new backup can be triggered every time you revise your data, without any manual input. This saves time and effort, but it also allows you to roll back your system to any previous version of a file—you won’t get that with flash storage!

For long-term data storage, cloud backup is the solution with the most staying power. Many on-site storage options, like floppy disks, have become obsolete—and more will join them over time. The cloud doesn’t have this risk of redundancy, and its growth is showing no signs of slowing down.

An always-on cloud backup service like Dropbox Backup will keep your data secure and up-to-date. All you need is a subscription—leave the complexities of troubleshooting and monitoring backups to us.

Pros of cloud backup storage:

• Data is protected and secured through end-to-end encryption
• Reliable and flexible
• Data is easy to access whenever and wherever it is needed
• Scalable
• Allows you to access previous versions of files if you need to roll back your system at any point
• Doesn’t require a physical medium so won’t become obsolete
• Can be automatic and work in the background

Cons of cloud backup storage:

• Requires internet access to process and access backup data

Does my business really need long-term backup storage?

Having a backup should be an important part of any emergency data protection plan. But putting in this effort is pointless if the files you have backed up are only available for a short time.

You may be thinking, “I’ve got plenty of internal storage space on my computer, so what’s the problem?” But if that device fails or is stolen, you might lose a lot of important data like family photos that can’t be replaced.

That’s why you need long-term backup storage. The backup process will create copies of your data that you can easily recover should something go wrong. A long-term storage solution will ensure this data is retrievable after years and even decades.

If you’re a solopreneur or small business owner, long-term backup storage is important for a number of reasons. For example:

• Old file formats may be incompatible with new software, making the data unreadable
• Files may be altered when opened with new software, meaning they are no longer readable or accessible
• As storage media like CDs and external hard drives degrade there is a possibility of data loss
• The information contained within old files that are backed up may be difficult to understand if no supporting documentation has survived
• Important data can be preserved so that it can be recovered for audits, legal requests, or to demonstrate compliance with data privacy regulations

Keep your digital life safe now and for the future with Dropbox Backup

Making sure your files are secure and easy to recover shouldn’t be complicated. Future-proof your backup storage with Dropbox Backup. Backup makes it easy to automatically back up your files to the cloud, so you can quickly and smoothly recover from whatever life throws your way.

Keep the files, folders, and documents you back up safe and accessible anytime—even if it's years in the future.