Lengthy backups take time. If you need to restore large files, or if you require a full bare metal restore, it can take several hours to get your system back to the way it was before the problem occurred. After you get the data back, reserve adequate time to review it and make sure it's clean and ready to work with.

Keep a regular schedule. Your data is only as secure as your last backup. If your company’s data is important enough to be sent offline, then it should be protected on a predictable, repeatable schedule. If your hard disk drive crashes and there has been no backup in 4 weeks, that time frame is your window of vulnerability. Backups on a daily or weekly basis are commonplace – just make sure they're scheduled so they don't impact the regular operations and transactions on your network.

Don't overlook local backup. It provides an additional means to backup your data and is quicker to access than online backup services. You can even transmit files to on-site servers or portable backup devices concurrently with remote backup. With the low cost of recordable CDs and DVDs, you can also back up data to store in a fireproof safe or to take home.

Need to switch providers? Find out what the process is for retrieving your data if you decide to move to another backup services vendor. You want to make sure they give you plenty of time to remove your data before they clear the server space to another customer.

Save storage space. You can set up you can set up the software to automatically delete archived files from your history after a certain number of days.