The Sharp European Technical Support Centre (ETSC) is based in Warsaw, Poland and provides 24/7 IT Support for small to medium-sized businesses as and when they need it. Amongst the most common problems the team receive concern backup and data recovery issues, which can be quickly resolved by our IT experts.
Data in the modern office is vital and underpins everything that happens, whether that’s email, HR, sales, or even just interdepartmental communication. Without data the business is unable to function. In fact, one of the main reasons for having IT Services support is to ensure the correct running, storing and retrieval of information.
Around 50% of all calls that we receive at the ETSC Helpdesk typically involve restoring lost or corrupt files, troubleshooting backup errors, or ensuring that backups are scheduled and working correctly.
Data recovery in its most basic form is the restoring of data that is no longer accessible by the end user. This may be due to hardware issues, file corruption, the data has been lost, or as is most often the case, data has been mistakenly deleted and needs to be retrieved.
Even the smallest business needs to protect its data and regularly backup and store its information. This is especially important for those using Microsoft 365. While Microsoft provides robust infrastructure and data protection measures, it remains essential for businesses to have their own backup solution. This ensures protection against accidental data deletion, security threats, or service outages.
By using a dedicated IT Service it can take the hassle out of scheduling, maintaining and resolving issues as and when they arrive. What’s more, 24/7 IT support can help businesses save money by preventing major issues from occurring. At ETSC we have experienced technicians that can resolve issues a lot faster, and more cost-effectively than a small business owner, regardless of their technical ability.
IT Services are not only for when users need to report a problem. A large portion of the IT support work we carry out happens without the subscriber even being aware, as the backup systems in place generate ‘alerts’.
Around 90% of these alerts require troubleshooting by the team investigating backup errors or ensuring that backups are scheduled and working correctly. Only a small percentage of these alerts require the restoring of files from the backup.
By responding to alerts, we can help organisations minimise downtime by ensuring that technical issues are resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible. In many instances, organisations won’t even been aware there has been an issue until it has been resolved.
How to Resolve Data and Backup Issues
We understand that the information that flows through any business is highly important, which is why we respond to data recovery issues promptly. When a call is received via the ETSC IT Helpdesk we raise a ticket and depending on the needs of the system and the request we check any hardware or software issues, restoring data from the backups or running recovery software. Once the ETSC expert assigned to the task has defined the type of issue it is, they will usually follow one of the ensuing steps:
Dealing with corrupt files: In the first instance, we will run recovery software as this will give access to the most recent version of the file. If this does not work, we will then look to restore a previous backup of the file.
Troubleshooting backup errors: This involves addressing any potential hardware or software issues, checking backup settings, and running diagnostics tools to ensure that all processes are working correctly.
Ensuring backups are scheduled and working correctly: Backups must be regularly tested and verified to ensure they are working correctly, as this will reduce the number of automated alerts we receive. Backup schedules must be reviewed and configured when required. Additionally, backup software must be updated and reconfigured when necessary.
Disaster recovery planning: In addition to regular backups, it is also essential to have a robust and comprehensive disaster recovery plan in place. The Sharp IT Helpdesk can assist in developing and implementing such a strategy, safeguarding that off-site backups, redundant systems, and failover procedures are in place, ensuring business continuity in case of a major data loss event.
Data archiving and long-term retention: Data backups tend to be a snapshot of an organisation’s entire information tree. Whereas data archiving moves the same data to a new location, indexing items with complete metadata records, which is essence makes it easier to find and retrieve specific files or records. As a result, some businesses, such as education, finance, health care and professional services may have specific requirements for data archiving and long-term retention of data. This requires a detailed and planned execution strategy that ensures availability of files, along with the compliance and integrity of records over extended periods. Our IT Helpdesk can provide guidance on this matter.
Having the right data back and recovery plan in place can prevent the loss of vital information, as well as help businesses reduce inefficiencies and potential down time. If you would like to know more about how the Sharp European Technical Support Centre an support your business, GET IN TOUCH.
