Where is Your Business’s Digital Data?

By ONUVO

Keys to understanding, protecting, and controlling business digital storage

In the day-to-day operation of many businesses in Puerto Rico, digital data—which can include everything from quotes, invoices, financial reports to customer information, designs, or contracts—may often end up scattered across computers, servers, cloud services (both authorized and unauthorized), and external drives. As a result, many business owners are unsure about where their most valuable operational data is stored, who controls it, how it’s protected, or what safeguards are in place in case of a loss or incident.

This reality poses not only an operational risk, but also a threat to business continuity and compliance with legal, contractual, or insurance requirements.

Below, we share four essential areas every business owner should consider when assessing how they store and safeguard their company’s information.

1. Accessibility

Access to data should be quick, reliable, and well-controlled. Many businesses face issues because information is “on someone’s computer,” stored in an inactive email, or within a system where only one person can access it. This limits team agility and increases dependence on specific individuals.

Having centralized storage solutions, such as servers, NAS devices (Network Attached Storage), or business cloud services is important. These should allow authorized and secure access from multiple devices or locations, but only under clear rules.

2. Security

Not all data should be accessible to everyone. Shared passwords, folders without controls, unencrypted disks, and sensitive files on personal laptops are still common practices in many businesses. This creates opportunities for unauthorized access, information theft, or internal incidents.

The chosen storage solution should include access control, encryption, authentication, and activity auditing tools. For example, systems like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace provide cloud storage with centralized authentication controls and permissions for folders and logs. To secure your data on your computer, use the native BitLocker tool in Microsoft Windows to encrypt it, ensuring it won’t be compromised if your computer is lost or stolen.

Security shouldn’t depend solely on “trusting people,” but should emphasize establishing controls. Human nature is often viewed as one of the greatest risks in any digital strategy.

3. Backups

One of the most important questions a business owner can ask themselves is: “If this file is deleted, can I recover it?”

Not having a reliable backup system is one of the most common reasons for data loss, which can include internal documents, client files, emails, and more.

Backups can’t be manual or rely on someone’s discipline. They must be automatic, validated, and tested. Ideally, there should be at least one local copy and another in the cloud to protect against theft, disasters, or physical failures.

Important: Cloud storage services like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox are not backup solutions. Their main purpose is to sync files across devices, meaning that if files are damaged or infected, the issue will spread to all connected devices. This isn’t a system failure; it’s how the system is designed. That's why having a dedicated backup system is crucial. It’s recommended to use specialized backup software alongside cloud platforms. Additionally, having a physical backup, such as an external hard drive or a local device that regularly copies the files stored in the cloud, is advisable.

4. Compliance

Depending on the type of business, there might be specific requirements for how certain information is stored, protected, or retained. This could include financial, medical, educational, or personal data.

Some cyber insurance policies also require companies to follow essential practices, such as setting up automatic backups, encryption, or access controls. Make sure you understand the regulations and data handling requirements relevant to your business’s industry, as ignorance of these rules won’t protect you from fines or denial of coverage.

Having a well-designed storage strategy with backup, redundancy, and agile recovery mechanisms is crucial to ensure the company can continue operating even during unexpected events like equipment failures, theft, or cyberattacks.

Having a solid strategy doesn’t need to be expensive. The key is to have the right tools and accurately evaluate the risk tolerance the business can handle.

What actions can a business owner take today?

• Know where the business’s data is located and who controls it.
• Ensure information is automatically backed up.
• Verify that systems have access controls, encryption, and monitoring.
• Ask their IT provider or internal team if there is a recovery plan in case of data loss.

Technology doesn’t have to be complicated, but managing it properly is important. Being clear about how business data is stored is essential for making informed decisions, protecting digital assets, and ensuring business continuity.

 

 

This article was written by ONUVO, a Puerto Rican managed services provider (MSP) recognized as the Best MSP in the Caribbean for six (6) consecutive years by ChannelFutures MSP501/NextGen and named IT Services Company of the Year by the Minority Business Development Agency. For more information or services, contact us at info@onuvo.com or 787-961-5400.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of its accuracy or suitability for any particular purpose. Neither Popular, Inc.  nor any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, and/or related companies (“Popular”) are, and will not be, liable for any special, direct, indirect, or incidental damages, including, but not limited to, lost profits that may result from or be connected to the information or advice provided in this article, which was not prepared by Popular. Popular is engaged in providing financial services and is not involved (directly or indirectly) in delivering services related to the content of this article. If you need any services related to this article, please consult a qualified professional of your choice.