cloud backup south africa – Soteria Cloud Backup News

Cloud backup is a must – not an option

The global population as a whole would probably agree that without access to cloud computing, COVID-19 may have completely destroyed businesses. While not all businesses have survived the pandemic, many have been able to continue running and keep staff members working by moving their operations to the cloud. Because of stay-home orders on a worldwide basis, cloud backups and other cloud services are no longer optional for businesses but have become an integral part of any solid business IT solution.

While people are becoming more aware of the convenience and reliability of cloud services, many overlook their responsibilities when it comes to secure cloud backups.

Millions of people are now working from home, using their own (in many instances) insecure networks and devices (laptops and mobile phones) and storing sensitive data and information to those devices…at home. There’s also a flurry of data (and documents) sent back and forth using cloud services between staff.

Unfortunately, many people still have their head in the clouds, living under the impression that their cloud service will automatically back these documents up!. While automated backup is usually offered as part of the service, it has to be initiated and this is not the responsibility of the service provider.

When companies overlook this crucial point, it’s a recipe for disaster for businesses and a dream-come-true for opportunistic hackers and fraudsters!

the impact of data breaches/data loss on finances & business image

There’s more than just money to be lost when your business has a data breach. Your business’ image is also tarnished. Clients who have been the victim of a breach feel betrayed and their trust in your business will waiver.

Studies have shown that nearly 50% of data incidents were as a result of malicious attacks on business customers, employees and corporate data.

In 2020, data breach incidents cost South African businesses a whopping R40.2 million. Now that’s a scary statistic. Business is lost, reputation is damaged, and new clients are apprehensive. And then, there’s the cost of recovering the data and setting a more secure system in place.

Is it really worth taking the risk of not doing a cloud backup? Safe and secure online data backups are easier, far less traumatising and a less costly option!

protecting your company’s most valuable asset: data

If you are keen to ensure that your business stays on top of its data security responsibilities, doing online data backups is the only way forward. Choosing a data backup service is something that should be done with care. You’d be best protected by finding a service that offers:

Up to 448-bit encryption
Automated data backups (without the employee having to manually do anything)
Replication to a second location (to be extra safe)
Sufficient storage space

The process of doing a cloud backup once you have chosen the data package that suits your needs and budget should also be easy.

It should be as simple as 1,2,3:

Download the automated software to your computer
Select the files you need to backup
Set an automated daily or weekly backup time and a secure password

It’s that simple. The rest, the software will do itself. You can then restore files from the cloud when needed in just a few clicks (with the use of your encrypted password).

cloud backup is a must-do new year’s resolution

It’s not too late to set a few New Year resolutions for your business! Do the right thing for your business (and your clients and staff members) this year and get set up with a reliable, secure and affordable cloud backup service. Having cloud backup is no longer an option, it’s a must.

The Evolution of Cloud-Based Software Among Digital Transformation

According to statistics, cloud computing annual subscriptions will reach a whopping $1.7 billion by 2024 in South Africa alone. That’s saying a lot considering that the annual subscriptions in 2018 only reached a value of $370 million. The forecasts show an annual increase in subscriptions of 29% thanks to the evolution of cloud-based software. Aside from the COVID-19 pandemic forcing businesses to digitally transform and find new ways to share data, the world has been seeing the value in remote working (and remote systems access) for years.

While cloud-based computing is on the rise, so is the rise in companies and private individuals using cloud-based backups to store and protect data.

The future of cloud-based computing is undeniably thought-provoking (not to mention lucrative), but it is the past and how it came to be quite so dominant that really piques the interest.

cloud computing through the times

Many people don’t know this, but the very first sign and use of cloud computing was in the early 1960s. This is when the first remote job entry was put into a computer and various users were able to access the computer from a variety of different locations.

In the mid-1960s, J.C.R Licklider (a computer scientist) along with a psychologist conceived a version of a computer network. This concept was brought to life by Bob Taylor and Larry Roberts in the form of ARPANET, which in many ways was the internet before the internet as we now know it.

The true concept of the “cloud” was drawn up for patents in the late 1970s and 80s when various forms of remote storage were introduced. In the first diagrams of these remote storage concepts, the diagrams of the storage depicted real clouds.

The first time that the term “cloud” was used in a business plan was in 1996 by a company called Compaq Computer Corporation. From there, it seems as if cloud computing took off at a rapid pace with big brands such as Amazon deploying cloud-based applications in the mid-2000s and Google getting on board with things like Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Forms in the late 2000s.

And the rest, as they say, is “history” in the cloud!

cloud backup – an invaluable by-product of cloud computing

Encrypted cloud backup, which is invaluable to businesses nowadays, is a direct result of the Licklider’s cloud computing invention. And with data security in the spotlight in recent times, more businesses and private individuals are subscribing to online cloud backup services. Here’s a brief look at the benefits of cloud backups:

Remote access to stored documents from anywhere, as long as there is an internet connection available.
Data stored is encrypted for added security from unscrupulous third parties.
Automated backups of devices, ensuring minimal effort on the part of employees.

last word

With cloud computing and data encrypted cloud backups being so valuable to the local business and private user, subscriptions to these services (and the security that they offer) look set to increase. To chat with a professional about the benefits of cloud backup in South Africa, get in touch with us at Soteria Cloud.

Customer service management in a post-pandemic era

Pandemics have a way of bringing world-wide economies to their knees. One just has to take a look at the state of economies and local businesses in the wake of COVID-19 to see that. As businesses struggle to their feet and try to take up their place at the forefront of consumer markets once more, one glaringly obvious problem presents itself. In the absence of business, customer services have taken a dip and along with it the ability to implement customer service management systems that truly work.

Some businesses have grasped the opportunity and thrived while others seem to have dropped the ball and been left standing around, looking confused.

It’s not that customers have used the pandemic as an excuse to become wishy-washy in their wants and needs. In fact, for many years, consumers have been looking to businesses to see how they plan to step up their online presence and offer innovative changes that meet the ever-growing expectations of consumers. The pandemic has simply highlighted these expectations and forced big business to bring their planning forward a few years.

For brick and mortar stores, the world of online shopping has opened up, real-time communications had to be made a real “thing”, and deliveries of anything and everything in the speediest possible fashion had to become the norm for any local business to survive these challenging times.

Even businesses already offering their services online have had to shine their shoes and get their teams into line as more and more consumers seek out their services from a remote environment. Things have needed to change for all kinds of businesses and a very bright spotlight has recently been shining on the topic of customer service management.

2021-proof your customer service management

The need for better and more robust customer service management is more obvious now than it’s ever been before. Contactless engagements and shifts towards a more digital-focused business model have meant that staff member’s roles have changed over the past weeks and months and that means more training and of course more upskilling.

So, just how do you go about creating a customer service management plan that wows the socks off consumers in your particular target market? Here’s how to strategise for customer service management excellence.

Find out what makes your customers tick for the sake of retention – Find out where your customers’ needs are being met and where they are not so that improvements can be implemented. There is software available online to do this type of market research.
Provide your customer service agents with a wealth of support – Your customer service agents can only be as good as you have taught them to be. Upskill your staff members, so that they know how to make use of all new systems and provide the best possible digital services to your customers.
Provide quick and easy access to product information and company services –This is where cloud computing becomes of paramount importance. Customer service agents with quick and easy access to documents and information can provide better service delivery than a staff member that has to scramble and hunt for information.
Provide data security peace of mind – Collecting a customer’s data has become an area of concern of late. Customers are fearful of what might happen with their personal data once it is collected. Where is it stored and is it safe? Can it be hacked? While nothing in life is guaranteed, by assuring your customers that their data is encrypted and stored securely off-site in the cloud, you can provide them with much-needed peace of mind that their personal particulars are not going to end up in the hands of a third party.

the time to boost your customer service management is now!

There’s no time to waste when it comes to boosting your customer service management efforts. Most businesses are well on their way to transforming how they provide their services – you don’t want to be left behind.

To learn more about providing better data security peace of mind to your customers, chat to us at Soteria Cloud about our data encrypted backup service today.

10 Reasons Why You Need Cloud Backup and Online Backup in South Africa

Cloud backup – also known as online backup in South Africa, is essential for your business and we would like to share with you just why it is such an important transition for any organisation! Below is our pick of the top 10 reasons:

Increased cyber crime means that no connected device is really safe. Any data stored on your computer hard drive or device is at risk.
Crime happens and for this reason, backing up your important or sensitive data to a flash drive or removable hard drive is simply unsafe. The unit could be stolen or even lost, taking your data with it.
Data backed up in the cloud, will be available to you with a restore if you ever need to restore your data. If you are backing up to a removable device and this device gets lost or stolen, then it’s gone and you cannot restore your data from the cloud.
Data stored to a hard drive can be password protected but that’s not 100% safe. Online backup offers the extra security of 256 bit data encryption and 24/7 monitoring for potential breach or risk.
Cloud backups are scheduled and automatic. This means that as long as your device is connected to the internet, the backup will be done automatically for you – one less thing for you to remember to do each day.
If your computer or device malfunctions or is stolen, you can quickly and easily restore all the data at no additional cost!
Online backups give you the option to set your own encryption password, which only you know and can use if you need to restore your data later on. With Hard drive backups, you can’t limit access with passwords.
Online backup is a budgeted cost and cheaper than buying hard drives. Chances are that you will run out of hard drive space eventually. The external hard drives have a limited life span which means that you will spend more money on buying new ones. In the long run, backups offer a much more affordable way to store your data.
Save on storage space. The beauty of online backups is that they are digital and stored in the cloud. A cloud backup takes up no physical space on your work premises and you won’t have to waste time planning safe storage space for your backups / hard drives.
Recovery of data is guaranteed. When using hard drives or other devices for storage, you stand the risk of damage and malfunction negatively impacting on your data. Damaged hard drives can prove impossible and extremely expensive to recover. When you backup to the cloud, these are things you won’t have to worry about.

With cyber crime constantly on the rise, it’s important that you don’t leave yourself and your business open to potential threats. Protect the integrity of your business and ensure that your data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands or get lost forever. Find out what a good data backup package features right here at Soteria Cloud.

6 Reasons to Use an Online Backup Service in South Africa

Just about every document, memory and personal details that we have is in digital format these days. If you have your important data stored to your devices, it is vital that you regularly backup the information.

A few years ago it would have been perfectly acceptable to regularly back your data up to removable hard drives or discs which are then stored in your IT department or home, but that leaves data at risk.

With high speed internet and a number of reputable online backup service providers, the opportunity to back up your data safely, securely and quickly, off-site and out of harm’s way, is a reality and in most instances a better option.

Some people still grapple with the concept of online storage. If this is the case with you, here are a few reasons why you might want to consider moving away from a hard drive backup for all your home and business data.

Mother Nature

The risk of a natural disaster destroying your data is negated. Storing data to hard drives and flash drives means that your information is exposed to the dangers of floods, fires and similar. Chances are that your hard drive isn’t going to make it if a fire breaks out in your office. Backing up online safely stores your sensitive and valuable data where no natural disaster can touch it: in the cloud.

Hardware failure

When your backups are stored in the cloud there’s no way of losing your data due to malfunction or damage. Hard drives aren’t fail proof. You might take the time to religiously backup your data. only to find that your hard drive gives up a few years down the line. And while data can sometimes be recovered from these devices, it costs money and sometimes proves fruitless.

Theft

With online backup the possibility of theft becomes a non-topic. Data thieves might just steal the whole hard drive and then you’re in trouble. Maybe it’s not even someone after your data. It could just be a criminal stealing the hard drive itself. Either way, your data will be lost and you will have no hope of recovery!

Petty Crime

You won’t feel like you’ve lost everything if / when your laptop or computer is stolen. As mentioned in the point above, theft is of real concern in South Africa. Laptops and computers are prime targets of criminals as they are very rarely recovered in this country. With your data stored in the cloud, at least you won’t have lost everything if you are a victim of common South African crime.

Convenience

Forgetting to backup is not something you ever have to worry about if you choose the right service provider. If you’re backing up to an external device manually and you have a busy week, it’s easy to overlook a backup and let’s face it, as luck usually has it, that will be the week that your computer breaks down or ransomware locks up all your files. With online backup services, your data will be backed up automatically for you at a certain time on certain days. All you have to do is let it do its thing.

First backup seeding

With a locally based backup service provider such as Soteria Cloud, you can send your first backup to us on a disc or hard drive and thereafter, schedule your updates online (once we have uploaded your information to the cloud).

At Soteria Cloud we cannot stress enough how important it is to ensure that your data is backed up and encrypted, before it’s too late. We have various packages available for home and business and invite you to chat to us more about the backup features available to you.

How online backup is better than cloud storage

Many people assume that online backup and cloud storage is the same thing and it’s easy to see why. It can be a modern dilemma trying to decide which service you actually need, if you aren’t familiar with the differences between the two, and they are significant. Online storage / cloud storage and online backup are designed to do different things. Let’s take a look at each:

Cloud storage

This online service is designed to allow users to save and share select photos and documents. With this service, you will select which files are to be stored and saved. You can update or delete them as you see fit as well as access them from other devices. Most people opt for cloud storage when they want to free up space on a drive.

Online backup

This service is designed to offer users protection of their files and data – automatically. With this service, the files on your computer will be routinely backed up to the server at a time specified by the user, daily. Should you lose an important document or data due to system malfunction, human error or even theft you can easily restore the data from the saved versions online.

Features of online backup:

Automated backups of your business data
After first full backup – incremental backups
Quick and easy restoring of lost data
Access files remotely
Encrypted and secure

What makes online backup better than cloud storage?

Cloud storage is quite simply a manual method of storing files and data in the cloud, but online backup takes things a few steps further. Once you have chosen all your important documents and folders and files to backup, an automatic online backup of the selected files and folders in these locations is done on a regular basis. And your backup is encrypted so no-one can access your files. The files that you store on your computer will be automatically copied and kept safe and secure (it’s best if the data is encrypted in the process – which is what Soteria online backup does) on a remote server – ready for you immediately should you need to restore or retrieve data that your computer has lost.

Why you should opt for online cloud backup instead of cloud storage

Cloud storage doesn’t have a replica of all of your system files and folders as in most instances you will select to store only files that you access often.
Not all devices offer restore options and you might not be able to restore data from cloud storage across a variety of platforms when it has been encoded.

Want to learn more about the great features of online backup? Get in touch with us at Soteria Cloud and we’ll provide you with all the information and advice that you need!

Why online and cloud backup is better than an external hard drive

We all know that backing up our important data is vital, especially in the business environment, but with a variety of options available, how do you know which one is the best for you? One of the most popular choices is often between online backups and external hard drive backups. Many people worry that backing up online poses additional security risks when in fact, more often than not, it is the safest method of backing up – and it has certainly proven itself in the past few years. While external hard drives have had their time and place over the years, at Soteria Cloud we strongly believe that online backup is far better than external hard drives. Let’s take a look at why:

Why External Hard Drives Are NOT the Ideal Backup Option

While a hard drive can always be with you, it’s not necessarily a good thing. An accident, theft or even a fire can cause irreparable damage.
Hard drives aren’t invincible and neither is your data when it is backed up to one. Your hard drive can fail or it can be damaged and along with it; your data, both of which need to be replaced.
Data recovery from a damaged or malfunctioning external hard drive can be expensive and sometimes even impossible.
Hard drives need to be physically linked up to the machine you are working on in order to access the backed up data. This can be quite problematic if you don’t have the required hard drive on you, or if you need to access the data unexpectedly / remotely.
The security of your data is your responsibility and unless you are particularly knowledgeable about IT, encrypting data can be an overwhelming task. Data saved on an external device that can be accessed by anyone stands to face a variety of security risks if it isn’t encoded.

Why Online Backup IS the Ideal Backup Option

Online backup offers exceptional security features such as 256 bit data encryption and 24 hour security monitoring.
Your backed up data is always safe! There’s no need to worry about losing important data if your device is stolen or becomes damaged. You can still retrieve backed up data even if your hard drive fails / malfunctions.
It’s affordable. Online backups cost in the region of R2 per Gig, which can be budgeted for upfront. Investing in hard drives that might need replacing along the way is an unknown expense.
Quick and easy data backup restores. Any and all lost files can be recovered within a couple of hours by contacting a local South African support team.
Everything is automated so you won’t have to remember to process backups. Simply set up the system to an automatic schedule and as long as you are connected to the Internet, your backup will be handled for you.

At Soteria Cloud we offer affordable, encrypted online backup options to our clients. We invite you to learn more about our business online backup packages as well as our personal home online backup packages.