Backing up employee devices—like laptops, desktops, and even tablets—is an essential part of protecting your business data. These devices often hold critical files, emails, and work-in-progress that aren't always stored on central servers. Without proper backups, losing data due to hardware failure, accidental deletion, or cyberattacks can cause significant disruption.
Why this matters for Canadian SMBs
For small and mid-sized businesses in Canada, downtime or data loss can directly impact customer service, employee productivity, and your company's reputation. Imagine an employee's laptop crashes the day before a big client presentation, and there's no backup of the work. Recovering those files can take days or be impossible, delaying projects and frustrating clients. Additionally, cyber threats like ransomware increasingly target endpoint devices, locking files and demanding payment. Without backups, you risk losing access to valuable data permanently.
A typical scenario
Consider a 50-person consulting firm based in Toronto. Each consultant uses a laptop to store client reports, proposals, and sensitive financial data. The company's IT provider has set up automatic backups for shared servers but assumed employee devices were less critical. One day, a consultant's laptop is infected by ransomware, encrypting all local files. Because the device wasn't backed up, the firm faces a tough choice: pay the ransom, attempt costly data recovery, or recreate lost work from scratch. After this incident, the IT partner implements a managed backup solution for all employee devices, ensuring encrypted copies of files are stored securely in the cloud daily. This reduces risk and speeds recovery in future events.
What to ask your IT provider
- Do you include employee devices in the backup strategy, or only central servers?
- How often are backups performed for laptops and desktops?
- Where are backups stored—on-site, off-site, or in the cloud?
- Are backups encrypted and protected from unauthorized access?
- How quickly can data be restored to a device after loss or corruption?
- Do you test backup restore processes regularly to ensure reliability?
Simple internal checks
- Verify which employee devices are currently backed up and how frequently.
- Check if backup copies are stored separately from the original device to avoid simultaneous loss.
- Review access controls for backup data to ensure only authorized staff can retrieve files.
- Confirm employees understand the importance of saving work in locations included in backups.
Backing up employee devices is not just a technical detail—it's a critical safeguard for your business continuity. If you're unsure whether your current IT setup covers this adequately, it's wise to consult a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor. They can assess your environment, recommend improvements, and help implement a backup and disaster recovery plan tailored to your company's needs and compliance requirements.