Continuing our series on backup solutions for different industries, today we are going to talk about nonprofit organizations.
Nonprofit organizations are interesting business models. While the basic premise is that they exist not to make a profit, but to make a difference, they end up having the same business needs as any for-profit company, especially when dealing with important core features, like technology. And, since nonprofits companies can exist within virtually every industry, it is difficult to make a claim that they are only going to be dealing with certain types of information.
One thing is for sure- Nonprofit organizations need the same quality of technology as for-profit companies, but do not operate within the same budget. That means they are looking for the most efficient way to handle their data, but for as little cost as possible.
Since a nonprofit organization can exist within almost every industry, it is fair to assume that a number of them will have to manage sensitive client information- such as a free clinic or a legal aid office. Because of this, it is important to make sure the data is secure, so you want to check on the encryption level of your backup system. You want at least 256-bit encryption, for both local and offsite backups.
It is also really important to have both local and offsite backups. Since most offsite backup solutions require a local component as well, it is a standard necessity to have both anyway. While having two might seem overly complex, it is actually the best practice when you are dealing with backups, no matter your industry.
You also want to make sure that the backup solution has ease of access. Time is incredibly valuable for any organization, even (and maybe even especially) nonprofits. If you experience a crisis (power outage, server crash, etc.) and need to spin up your data from backups, you want something that is going to work quickly so that you lose minimal time.
We recommend looking at a solution like Intronis, StorageCraft, or Acronis. These are all solutions that offer great local and offsite products that are suitable across all industries, they have excellent customer service, which can be a huge help when you are in a crisis situation where you need your backups.
While nonprofits need to look for the same quality of backup solutions as for-profit companies, budget is also an important factor. Fortunately, there are some ways to help lower the costs. The main one being, that since they are nonprofit organizations, there is the strong possibility of getting a discounted rate for these solutions by using things like tax exempt certificates, going through Techsoup, an organization that helps nonprofits purchase technology products at reduced prices, etc.
The simple truth is, while nonprofits have more budgetary concerns than for-profit companies, backups are one area where no one, regardless of industry or type of company, can afford to take a lesser product. Going with a cheaper solution might seem like a good idea at the time, but if something should happen and your backups aren’t up to par, it could end up costing more money and time, which is a luxury that all organizations, especially nonprofits, don’t have.
Do you work for a nonprofits? What type of backups do you have? Leave us a comment and let us know!