Mobility presents new data backup challenges

Whenever a business adopts mobility and BYOD solutions, its disaster recovery is inevitably altered. Some may not see the connection, but the influx of personal mobile devices into the workplace changes the dynamics of data storage and workflow in ways that drastically alter how a business has to approach data backup and recovery. One major change that businesses may see is the bandwidth needs of data backup software, according to CRN. With data spread out across nearly twice as many devices, backing it all up may consume considerably more resources. However, by performing backups at night, or automating them as needed, a business can maintain efficient disaster recovery preparedness without negatively affecting workflow or productivity. Another major issue that some companies may run into is the spread of data itself. With the consumerization of IT comes more sources and endpoints for data, and IT needs to keep track of all of them to ensure proper backups occur. This can be simplified with proper data management and mobile device management (MDM) solutions, but it is also up to the business in question to invest in high-quality backup and recovery software to integrate with these other tools. The need for reliable disaster recovery software to minimize downtime and reduce business risks when a disaster does occur often outweighs the benefits that the consumerization of IT can bring, but this isn't a reason for a business to avoid BYOD and mobility. These trends can provide real advantages, and it simply takes careful planning to ensure continuity strategies include these changes to minimize security and recovery risks.