What is Website Offsite Data Backup?

Offsite backup is a method of website data backup involving the use of an offsite location as a means of securing in the event of a disaster.

Traditionally, this involved the use of magnetic tapes as well as other removable storage media. Currently, however, disk drives are becoming increasingly popular, as they are often times more convenient. (Our backup system uses disk drives for backing up)

How Does Website Offsite Backup Work?

Offsite data backup works by first transmitting your website files to an offsite security center. This data can then be accessed in the event of an emergency by using the Internet data restore control panel.

In addition, many offsite backup service providers will offer additional features, including account management, over-the-phone support, as well as email support.

Advantages of Website Offsite Data Backup

There are a number of advantages to storing your data off-site, including:
1 - Your data is protected in the event of a disaster
2 - Backup operations can be performed automatically - leaving more time for more productive tasks
3 - Added security of data-encrypted network connections

Difference Between Onsite and Offsite Data Backup

Every business understands the importance of backing up important website data. No matter how efficient a server system appears to be, there is always the possibility of a malfunction wiping out valuable data. For this reason, many companies have set up backup systems, designed to recover lost data. There are both onsite and offsite backup options, and both have certain advantages and disadvantages.

Onsite storage usually entails storing website data on a periodic basis on local storage devices, such as hard drives. Offsite storage requires storing website data on a remote server, usually via the Internet, although it can also be done via direct access.
Onsite storage has some advantages over offsite storage, including:
1 - immediate access to data
2 - less expensive

However, onsite storage has one distinct disadvantage over offsite storage. In the event of a catastrophic event, onsite data storage can be destroyed. For example, if there is a fire in the building, or a water main bursts, the onsite computers/servers can lose all the data that has been collected on them. In addition, onsite storage units can also be stolen, resulting in a loss of time, money, and data.

Offsite storage has some advantages over onsite storage, including:


1 - access to website data from any location, via Internet
2 - website data in the event of a disaster can be restored via the internet
3 - backup data can be downloaded and shared with a number of different remote locations

Then again, just as onsite data backup has some disadvantages, the same holds true for offsite storage. For one thing, since the data is stored offsite, it can be tricky to access the data when it is needed. For example, some of the offsite data servers will be routinely taken offline in order to perform preventive maintenance. During that time period, access to the offsite data will either be severely limited or completely cut off. In most cases, clients who use offsite storage are given plenty of notice when a site is going down for maintenance or repair.

When it comes to making a choice between onsite and offsite backup options, it is usually a matter of preference. Some individuals prefer being able to monitor and keep track of their valuable data, and will often use onsite protection. Others, however, will choose to allow offsite servers to maintain the data, until such time as it is needed.

Then again, if an individual wishes to have the most secure system with the lowest likelihood of having all data lost, it is possible to adopt an onsite-offsite solution. By having both onsite and offsite backup used in conjunction with each other, a problem in one side of the equation can be offset by recovery from the other side.