Run regularly scheduled backups

Updated: July 22, 2009

Applies To: Windows SBS 2008, Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard

Backing up data on the server can help prevent data loss that results from user error, data tampering, or virus attack. Backing up data is especially critical for small businesses, because a total system failure results not only in the loss of critical data, but also in the loss of essential services, such as e-mail. Without a current backup, even companies that use a mirrored hard disk drive configuration may recover only a portion of the lost data.

Test the integrity of the backup by selecting random files from your backup, restoring them to an alternate location, and then confirming that the files have not changed.

Keep the backup media in a secure location, because a malicious user can use this data to reconstruct the server at an alternate location. Consider keeping a copy of the backup at a secure off-site location.

Windows SBS 2008 provides an integrated backup solution. When you configure your backup using the integrated backup solution, the entire server is backed up by default, including your internal Web site, mailboxes, and user files that are stored on the server.

To configure backup, see “Backing Up and Restoring Data on Windows Small Business Server 2008” at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=101616).