es, it’s the “B” word again: “backup” . . . the perpetually challenging question of how to effectively and practically backup your practice’s systems, client and firm information so you can restore it when the digital chips are down.

I continually refer people to the article/post I wrote last November (still very current since it’s mostly procedural and conceptual) called “Ross’ Great Truths About Data  Backup” This article includes the 16 key steps to a successful backup process. I would IMPLORE EVERYONE to read this and be certain your practice is following most, if not all these guidelines. Your livelihood depends on it. Frankly, it may also be the best way to avoid a malpractice claim for “failing to adequately protect electronic client and case information necessary for competent representation.”

In my CLE programs on data backup, I’ve always exhorted my clients and audiences to memorize the two mantras of backup:

1. We don’t backup for the sake of backing up. We backup only so we can restore when the chips are down.
2. If you are doing ANYTHING in your backup process that could stand in the way of quickly and fully restoring your system, STOP IT NOW!
   

The latest on this topic comes from a post I made on the gazillionth backup thread I’ve been involved with on various law practice management listserves (in this case from the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Practice411 list), as follows in a thread where a small firm lawyer asked: “What is the best computer backup system and why?” Long-time Wisconsin lawyer and technology authority Rex Ewald responded:

“We have used Double Image since 2004 and have been completely satisfied with its performance.  We backup on a robust schedule [separate cycled daily, weekly and monthly uncompressed backups – 23 in all].  Backups run automatically from the built-in scheduler.”

I then responded:

“Rex, you’re using this for server backup, correct? As I point out in my article, it’s VERY important to use server/network specific backup software for network servers v. software for backing up PCs that are not servers – two different animals.

When I posted about the article last night – I was on my Blackberry at the Minneapolis airport so I could get to the article link. It’s called “Ross’ Great Truths About Data Backup. I have not specifically had experience with the Double Image software Rex mentioned, but I trust his experience with it. The best known server backup software (for Windows Server in its various iterations) is the Backup Exec series, now from Symantec. There are versions for both the Small Business Server version of Windows Server software and “regular” Windows Server.

There are also editions that can allow “Disaster Recovery” which means the ability to not only restore from backups in the event of a complete server failure (when a FULL restore is required) (which would mean normally having to reinstall the network operating system, then install the backup software, then finally restore files – all of which takes time), you can literally pop in the Disaster Recovery CD (or DVD) created by the software, have it install enough of the network software and itself to allow much faster restoration – a real plus. Server-oriented backup software also is adept at doing things like backing up successfully even when there are “open” files (usually via something called an “open file agent”), backing up Microsoft Exchange Server databases, etc.

Then there is backup software to backup regular PCs – PCs that are NOT network servers running a network operating system (standalone desktops and laptops, or desktops being used as “quasi-servers” in peer to peer network structures. There are a number of very capable standalone backup software products – I mention my favorites in the article. My current favorites are Acronis True Image Home 11, NTI Backup Now 5, Second Copy 7, and Genie Backup Manager Pro 8. PCMag.com did a round-up review of standalone backup systems – a really useful article. They actually rated the Genie product as their “Editor’s Choice.”

By the way, in the same article PCMag reviews online backup systems (the Secondary Layer of backup protection I talk about in my article)– here’s the link to the reviews.

Just remember - data backup may be the most boring topic in all of legal technology, but one day it will save your practice (and maybe your license) as a business.