Data encryption needn't conjure up images of slow, archaic systems. Let us show you how you can protect your data without spending a fortune or having to change your working practices.

Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?

• You backup your company data each and every day using either a tape, a second server, hard drive storage array, mobile hard drive, or all four.
• You also have a secure off-site backup to your web space, an online backup provider, or disaster recovery/business continuity service in place.
• Jenny in accounts takes an occasional backup copy of your accounting package on her personal USB drive.
• Mike the Sales Manager likes to keep a list of contacts and proposals on his company-purchased mobile hard drive.
• The project management and sales teams take their laptops with them to see clients and ferry them between home and the office.

If the truth be told, the only right way to back up and secure your data is the one that works best for your business and working practices.

However, more often than not, the vast majority of backup and security measures used by UK businesses stop being used within six to nine months of being introduced - simply because they are time consuming and laborious.

There are two problems here, the first is that your company data is being removed from the confines of what is probably a very well thought out backup plan, the second is that this data and any changes made to it can be lost and is not secure.

What options do you have? You could lock down USB ports on your user's computers, making it impossible for staff to download data on to their computers but what about the laptops? What if they get lost or stolen?

The loss or theft of a laptop might not seem like a regular occurrence but in fact, it happens more than you might think. The MoD has lost nearly 660 laptops in the last four years alone and this simple Google search shows just how many individual high-profile stories there were in 2008 alone regarding loss of data from laptops.

A recent survey conducted by the Ponemon Institute on behalf of Intel states that the average value of a lost or stolen laptop computer is US$49,246 (that's about £30,000 at a US$1 to 60 pence conversion rate).

• For reference, you can download the White Paper here
  (183Kb PDF - opens in new window)

This US$50,000 value is determined by the cost of replacing the laptop, search and investigation, recovery costs, legal costs, lost productivity, administration costs, technical consultation, regulatory expenses and of course, the cost of the lost data itself.

For many businesses, this figure will be much, much lower but hardware and administration costs for replacement can still easily reach several thousand pounds.

Putting a figure on the loss of your data, especially if it can be easily accessed by someone else is very difficult. The finder of your computer might return it for a reward but equally, they might use your data to contact your clients, disrupt your work and otherwise cause mischief which could hit your bottom line.

Charm can help you implement data encryption that only takes three clicks to use: that's one click to open, one click to point and one click to confirm. We can even show you how to automate regular backups, such as taking a weekly backup off-site on a Mobile Hard Drive, or Cloud Storage Platform.

For data taken off-site on laptops, we can help you to make sure that if your mobile data is lost, it won't be compromised and is still recoverable.

Charm provide a comprehensive data backup and encryption service that will ensure your company information will be safe in the event of failure of equipment at your main premises, remote sites, or the homes of your staff. Just give us a call to find out more, or for a free, no-obligation consultation.