We've had the heartbreaking conversation more times than we'd like. A business in Clarkson, a medical practice in Joondalup, a trades company in Butler — they all assumed their data was backed up. When something went wrong, it turned out either the backups were corrupted, hadn't run in months, or only covered part of their data. Weeks of work — gone.

The 3-2-1 backup rule is the gold standard recommended by every major cybersecurity authority including the Australian Cyber Security Centre. It's simple, and following it makes the difference between a bad day and a catastrophic one.

What Is the 3-2-1 Backup Rule?

3

Copies of Your Data

Your original plus at least two backups. If one fails, you always have another.

2

Different Storage Types

e.g. an external drive AND cloud storage. Different media reduces risk of simultaneous failure.

1

Copy Offsite

At least one copy in a different physical location (cloud counts). Protects against fire, theft or flood.

Why "I Use OneDrive / Google Drive" Isn't Always Enough

Cloud sync tools like OneDrive and Google Drive are not backups — they're sync tools. If ransomware encrypts your files, it also encrypts the synced copies in the cloud within minutes. If you accidentally delete a file, it disappears from your cloud drive too. These tools have limited version history and no tested recovery process.

A true backup solution creates immutable, versioned copies that ransomware can't touch — stored separately from your live data.

Common mistake: Backing up only to an external hard drive plugged into your computer. Ransomware will encrypt that drive too. It also won't help if there's a fire or theft.

What to Look For in a Business Backup Solution

  • Automated daily backups — set and forget, with alerts if a backup fails
  • Versioning — ability to restore files from any point in time (at least 30 days)
  • Encryption — backups encrypted in transit and at rest
  • Tested restores — a backup you've never tested is not a backup
  • Offsite or cloud storage — physically separate from your office
  • Ransomware protection — immutable backups that can't be overwritten by malware

Our Backup Solution: Acronis

At BITS Perth we use and recommend Acronis Cyber Protect — one of the world's leading backup and disaster recovery platforms, and a solution we're an authorised partner for. Acronis provides automated, encrypted, immutable backups to the cloud with tested recovery, ransomware protection built in, and monitoring we can manage on your behalf.

For most small businesses across Clarkson, Butler, Wanneroo and Joondalup, a properly configured Acronis backup costs less per month than the coffee you'd drink agonising over losing your data.

Is Your Business Data Actually Safe?

We offer a free backup assessment — we'll review what you have in place, test it, and tell you honestly if there are gaps. No sales pressure.

Book a Free Assessment Our Managed IT Services
BackupManaged ITAcronisPerthRansomware