Say, for example, online backup and data storage.

Don’t give into the temptation. Flee it. Bury it in a deep, dark hole. Never speak of it again.

The extra cost (minimal, we should emphasize) you might incur now by going the extra step to secure your work and data will pay itself off several times over if you ever experience massive data loss. Many companies simply never recover from system crashes.

Still skeptical? Take five minutes and try out our free data risk assessment quiz to better decide if online backup is something you might want to think twice about jettisoning.

In the quiz, we’ll ask you about factors like:

• The type of data stored on your computer.
• The number of people who have access to your system.
• The types of networks you employ.
• The level of difficulty of overcoming potential large-scale data loss.
• How you currently file and secure important data.
• How often you test your backup system.

We’ll then have an expert data backup consultant review your information, and give you a thorough system assessment.

As we’ve seen over and over again in the recent years around the nation, minimizing costs that don’t directly boost the bottom line at the expense of caution, security, and stability have added enormous amounts of fragility to many companies and systems—fragility that was exposed when even minor factors started going wrong. Plan for the unexpected problems, and you can avoid this.

Contact us for more information, or get started on the quiz now. It’s a no brainer, really.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 17, 2009, Mirrored Storage has been selected for the 2009 Best of Business Award in the Data processing and preparation category by the Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA)

The Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA) is pleased to announce that Mirrored Storage has been selected for the 2009 Best of Business Award in the Data processing and preparation category.

The SBCA 2009 Award Program recognizes the top 5% of small businesses throughout the country. Using statistical research and consumer feedback, the SBCA identifies companies that we believe have demonstrated what makes small businesses a vital part of the American economy. The selection committee chooses the award winners from nominees based off statistical research and also information taken from monthly surveys administered by the SBCA, a review of consumer rankings, and other consumer reports. Award winners are a valuable asset to their community and exemplify what makes small businesses great.

About Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA)

Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA) is a San Francisco based organization. The SBCA is a private sector entity that aims to provide tactical guidance with many day to day issues that small business owners face. In addition to our main goal of providing a central repository of small business operational advice; we use consumer feedback to identify companies that exemplify what makes small business a vital part of the American economy.

SOURCE: Small Business Commerce Association

CONTACT:
Small Business Commerce Association
Email: Press@SBCAAwards.org
URL: http://www.SBCAAwards.org

CONTACT:

Mirrored Storage, Inc.
Email: sales@mirroredstorage.com
URL: http://MirroredStorage.com

Let’s discuss why a laptop backup software solution is absolutely required in the business organization world.  Laptops are prominent in most sizable enterprises today. The use of portable laptops has inflated by twofold, due to the ease of use, and portability, but this has also created other issues. But laptops are being used by employees of all levels both for in office use and also for remote or at home use. This has created difficulty for IT staff whose responsibility is the backup the information in a timely fashion.

Corporate IT personnel have a hard time backing up that confidential information on these laptops because of the laptops location, and often there is a lot of highly confidential information kept on these laptops. Most business organization IT departments are accustomed to backing up computers that have constant connection to the network. But, when it comes to business organization laptops, these are often off the network when the regular backups occur. Because the backup with a conventional software solution is regular according to a specific time the laptops are not always connected therefore they miss out on the backup. Specialized laptop backup software solution backups up the laptop as it joins to the electronic network, but most don’t handle the following well or at all:

• losing the network connection
• being removed from the network connection during backup
• user stops the backup before it is completed

An example might illustrate the difficulties with conventional backup software solution more clearly. For instance let’s compare to car insurance.  When you buy automobile insurance coverage that you would not have to trouble yourself about where you go you should be protected everyplace. Now what if that policy has a rider that states that you can only drive within a 100 mile range in order to be protected?  The company, or person, has paid for full coverage, but can only go within a certain limited area. This example illustrates what happens when the companies data backup solution does not reliably backup laptops at a remote location or only when it is connected to the network. While the software solution programs provide laptop backup it is often tied to conventional patterns of time and regular connectivity. With reliable laptop backup software solution, both management and IT staff, feel comfortable in the knowledge, that even crucial information kept on laptops located off the network, is backed up at proper times and dates.

Just as in the insurance lesson above increasing laptop backup protection safeguards all over not only in specific areas or time. By having trustworthy laptop backup software there is a sizable increase of time and resources for the corporation as a whole since the info is assured and accessible.

As more and more of business is done online, and as aspects like “cloud computing” (any sort of data like email or important files stored off-site on a server somewhere) become more regularly integrated into the daily lives of companies, an import question needs to be asked:

Why should you just hand over all those super-sensitive files to a company you might not know well?

According to business IT experts EDL Consulting:

“A new report recently released by Practical eCommerce states many small business’ ecommerce websites should consider online backup as a top priority in the future. As these websites store more and more information about their customers, it is imperative they back the information up to prevent data loss.

Aside from storing customer information, online backup is crucial for ecommerce companies because it allows them to instantly restore their websites in the event of a disaster. Downtime is the type of event that can paralyze any ecommerce company, and using an online backup service will help any organization quickly restore a website in the event of a crash.

According to the news provider, ecommerce companies considering online backup must ensure certain things with their vendor before finalizing any agreement. Firstly, understanding where data is stored is important to prevent any compliance issues. Beyond that, learning how far back a vendor will store data and the technology used to do so will help ecommerce companies make the right decision.”

To which we say…we agree wholeheartedly. Blindly trusting an online backup company with your precious data is worse than ignoring the idea and importance of online backup itself. So ask away, and let us ease your concerns about online backup.

Here are five ways to get the answers you need:

What if we already have a tape backup system/zip drive? How long will a Mirrored Storage backup take? Onsite, offsite — what’s the difference? How secure is my data? What happens if the backup gets interrupted? Will you delete my files without asking? Will I be able to access my data remotely?

1. We’ve tried to anticipate most of your questions in advance, so start with our Data Backup FAQ, our Backup & Storage Technical FAQ, or our “Ten Questions” paper for more information about our managed data backup services.
2. Take our free Data Backup & Storage Risk Assessment Quiz and contact us for a free on-site assessment.
3. For data wonks, check out our treasure trove of online data backup & storage white papers.
4. For real world skeptics, check out what our satisfied data backup customers have to say.
5. Ask an expert. A real, live, talking person. Right here in Dallas. Contact us online here, or call 214.550.0550. We’d love to talk with you.

This is a question that I asked my customers & friends.  In some professions there are education or professional designations.  It is a commonly accepted standard that 10,000 hours of working in a profession gives the worker the professional designation.  While there is no accepted standard for Data Backup professionals I did survey my customers about their respective professions.  Here is what they told me:

• Life & Health Insurance, State Farm – 480 policies over 8 years of writing policies
• Optometrist, Lakeside Vision – 500 comprehensive eye exams
• Pest Control, Alpha Omega Pest Control & Safety – 5 years of experience
• Structural Engineering – 7 years experience
• Personal Injury Law, The Law Offices of Balon B. Bradley – 25 years experience
• Commercial Printing, SpringBok Painting – more than 5 years
• Automotive Leather, Trinity Leather and Accessories – 14 years experience
• Residential Real Estate, Keller Williams – 100 each buy and sell
• Family Law, Easley & Marquis – 500 cases
• Promotional Products, EmbroidMe – 6 years
• Sales – no one knows for sure!

On June 18^th Mirrored Storage completed our 10,000^th successful data backup.  Lakeside Vision of Plano Texas, a customer since April 4^th 2010 is the esteemed recipient of this distinction.  Since Mirrored Storage started in February 2009 we have served customers from around the world, but focused on the North Texas region.  We have experienced tremendous growth since Lakeside Vision became a customer and as a percentage 50% of those backups have happened since they became a customer.

We are excited on not only in the Mile Stone of 10,000 backups, but the rate that we are growing.  Since April 4^th 2010 we have completed 5,000 successful backup jobs for our customers.

We offer a free data backup assessment both online through our quiz or onsite looking at your environment in detail.  Call, contact or email us for an appointment today!

214-550-0550

It could happen to just about anybody. In this day and age, more and more businesses, schools, and private individuals are relying on their computers and local servers to store and secure critical data and files. What’s at risk is simply the sort of stuff that just can’t be easily replaced without reliable managed online data backup in Dallas.

Just ask Dallas County.
According to the Associated Press:

A computer crisis that crippled most of Dallas County’s government operations Tuesday might have been avoided had officials heeded a consultant’s warning two years ago.

The Dallas Morning News reports Wednesday that a 2008 consultant advised the county to have a backup plan for its computer systems. Such an offsite location could keep the county up and running when there is a calamity.

A broken water main near the Dallas County records building Monday night flooded the downtown facility’s basement and subbasement. The floodwaters have shut down the county’s computer system, forcing officials to book inmates into the county jail manually.

The building houses deeds to properties and other critical records.

Officials say no county data was lost but they learned a costly lesson.

It’s a lesson with costly consequences (which, thankfully, Dallas County avoided). In fact, according to the University of Texas, ”only 6 percent of companies suffering from a catastrophic data loss survive, while 43 percent never reopen and [another] 51 percent close within two years.”  We have recorded MANY reasons why remote backup is so important.

Just think about why your business relies on such data, and then think about who relies on that business. It’s just not worth the risk of becoming a statistic.

We, of course, believe strongly in online backup, security and restore for both the Dallas area and beyond, and believe strongly that it’s important to partner with a remote data storage company you can trust. We’ve been serving the Dallas business community for more than 20 years, growing alongside the internet itself.

Contact our online backup and data storage experts to discuss your options .

Take our Data Risk Assessment Quiz to see if you could use a free assessment from us.

• 12 Albums/Tape for .99
• Free Stamp/Coin Proofs
• Free unlimited brake jobs for as long as you own the car
• Bumper to bumper warranty
• Free Service included w/ purchase of new car
• Any sign-up for Free Vacation/Car/$1mil/etc
• Sign-up for Free for 30 days providing credit card, just cancel (victim of this one X times)
• Transferable Warranty
• Home Warranty for home buyer

I would challenge anyone looking for the remote backup service to evaluation any service first. Don’t give your credit card information to try a service. Test it to see if it is really free and works for you. Ask questions of others (Research, Blog, References, Regulatory Compliance, etc) for their experience. Think about it, if you are loading data to a provider where the volume exceeds the raw cost of the storage then what your dad taught you MAY come into play. We also have a great resource that you can use “Ten Questions to Ask your Online Backup Provider”.
From my research, understanding being in the online backup industry and talking with customers of many of the providers (also testing myself) there are ways that many providers limit those that “take advantage of the system”; AKA using more than they are paying for. The most common practices they limit the volume of uploaded data allowed per day (i.e. 100mb per day – less than 10 photos with digital most cameras). Another common practice is “expiring old files”. This can be as little as 90 days. I personally take digital photos that I load on my PC, edit and backup for storage FOREVER. It is NOT OK with me for files to be deleted EVER much less in such a short time.
We recently added a customer that tried several of the popular data backup services without success. The primary reason was our service and support. When we talked with them about the above issues they admitted that they had seen both limits and deletions within the first month of us. This is much faster that I had experienced, so I am creating new accounts of my own and trying again.
Lastly, I have another Truth about data backup:
“We manage our customer’s backups, other services manage credit cards.”
In other words, their customers won’t hear from them unless the credit card doesn’t work. Our customers hear from us when there is an issue.
We look forward to helping you with your online backups. Start your FREE Evaluation today, without any strings attached, only what you dad taught you!

In that last few weeks I have been doing some work without involvement or access to the Information Technology professional. In my research I have become quite good at discovering the existing data backup software or lack thereof.

Here is a brief summary of what I found:
- 1.4m medical images not backed up successfully since 2004. They believed they were.
- 600k medical record images not backed up successfully since 1999. They believed they were.
- 700k medical images where the backup drive filled up 2 days before I found it. CD creation secondary system created blank CD’s for an undetermined amount of time.
- 15 GB of accounting practice data not ever backed up before.
- QuickBooks files for business NEVER backed up prior to my audit w/ an existing customer. They believed they were using the built in remote data backup, but were pointing to a local full drive.
My questions to you;
- Is your data being backed up?
- Are you willing to bet your business on the answer?

I am willing to do a free 1 hour data backup assessment at your site for a limited time, based on availability. I also over an off-site component price based on time needed to complete and included for new customers.

Call me BEFORE you have an issue.
John Neibel
President and Business Owner

-          12 Albums/Tape for .99

-          Free Stamp/Coin Proofs

-          Free unlimited brake jobs for as long as you own the car

-          Bumper to bumper warranty

-          Free Service included w/ purchase of new car

-          Any sign-up for Free Vacation/Car/$1mil/etc

-          Sign-up for Free for 30 days providing credit card, just cancel (victim of this one X times)

-          Transferable Warranty

-          Home Warranty for home buyer

-          Unlimited Backup for $4.95/month or $54.95/year

I would challenge anyone looking for a remote backup service to evaluation any service first.  Don’t give your credit card information to try ANY service.  Test it to see if it really works for you.  Ask questions of others (Research, Blog, References, Regulatory Compliance, etc) for their experience.   Think about it, if you are loading data to a provider where the volume exceeds the raw cost of the storage then what your dad taught you MAY come into play.  We also have a great resource that you can use “Ten Questions to Ask your Online Backup Provider”.

From my research, understanding being in the online backup industry and talking with customers of many of the providers (also testing myself) there are ways that many providers limit those that “take advantage of the system”; AKA using more than they are paying for.  The most common practices they limit the volume of uploaded data allowed per day (i.e. 100mb per day – less than 10 photos with digital most cameras).  Another common practice is “expiring old files”.  This can be as little as 90 days.  I personally take digital photos that I load on my PC, edit and backup for storage FOREVER.  It is NOT OK with me for files to be deleted EVER much less in such a short time.

We recently added a customer that tried several of the popular data backup services without success. The primary reason was our service and support.  When we talked with them about the above issues they admitted that they had seen both limits and deletions within the first month of us.  This is much faster that I had experienced, so I am creating new accounts of my own and trying again.

Lastly, I have another Truth about data backup:

“We manage our customer’s backups, other services manage credit cards.”
In other words, their customers won’t hear from them unless the credit card doesn’t work.
Our customers hear from us when there is an issue.

We look forward to helping you with your online backups.  Start your FREE Evaluation today, without any strings attached; only what you dad taught you!

Here is a testimonial from a new customer that found me Online.  Save yourself days of effort & frustration by starting with Mirrored Storage.

American World, President

My computer is not only growing old, but perhaps reaching for some longevity record.

Several weeks ago, I began trying various data-backup alternatives.  A little research quickly eliminated both adding a tape B/U unit or removeable, semiconductor memory via my USB for practical and technical considerations..

I settled on storing my data on-line, to be safe in cyberspace.  There were several companies promoting these services at prices that varied substantially.  I flipped a coin and tried one.  It ran OK for a few days, but when I changed software vendors for my virus protection, it slowed down my whole computer and I began to encounter random, weird bugs.  Contacting their technical support didn’t help.  They didn’t know their product seemed to be trying random fixes.  None of these helped the situation.  Further, they didn’t like the fact that I was a small operation, without my own technical people to help thrm.  I cancelled the service, still within the “Free Trail” period.

It’s commonly accepted that insanity is trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  I guess I’m loony.  I tried three other companies with about the same story, with the exception that one told me their “senior technical guru” was on vacation, but would call me in two weeks.  I figured if I had a computer failure and needed help, I wouldn’t want to wait.

I belong to Linked-In.  I was about to give up and buy an expensive tape unit when I got an email through Linked-In from John Neibel, CEO of Mirrored Storage.  His company offered the same kind of on-line B/U.  I decided to give it one more try.  I ran into a couple of “cockpit” problems that were my fault and was amazed that John gave me personal service and solved these.  My backups are now running smoothly and without any noticeable system degradation.  I could not have received better support.  I’d highly recommend John, his company and services – and I’m glad that “one more try” proved I still have a ways to go before I become daft.

Best!

Dick Brown, President
American World