PC Backup Research
A quarter of UK law firms at risk through poor data management
Over a quarter of UK law firms are guilty of leaving the security of their archives to chance, a recent survey by communications technology provider Kingston Communications reveals. In an industry where information is the prime asset, 28 per cent of respondents admitted that their firm relied on on-site automated or manual back-up. This means that in the event of a disaster their ability to operate would be seriously compromised.
Nearly a quarter of lawyers questioned disclosed that if they were unable to gain admission to their premises, for example as a result of fire or flood, then access to systems and documents would, at best, be limited, and at worst, work would have to cease altogether.
- 28 per cent of legal firms back up data on-site
- Over half rely on employees to manually perform data storage tasks
- Nearly a quarter of firms operationally compromised in the event of a disaster
Many legal firms remain dependent on staff to manage data, with one in two companies requiring employees to perform data storage tasks as part of the back-up routine. This is a high risk strategy, as research shows that human error – such as employees deleting or saving over information – accounts for 50 per cent of cases of data loss. Hardware failure, such as server crashes, is another common cause of lost data, so it is not surprising that approaching 20 per cent of lawyers revealed that their firm had lost files following an IT system failure, and nearly 1 in 3 had lost information to a virus attack. These issues are simple to prevent, provided storage, back-up and security solutions are adequately considered and acted upon.
The worst culprits are firms based in the north, where 4 out of 10 are still backing up data on-site, and smaller firms with fewer than 10 partners, where 6 in 10 have no off-site back-up arrangements in place. An overwhelming majority (68 per cent) of firms in the Midlands – that's 16 per cent higher than the national average – require individual employees to perform data back-up tasks. And again it is smaller firms that are more likely to risk their precious data assets by relying too heavily on human intervention.
Kevin Walsh, Executive Director at Kingston Communications, commented: "Today’s professional services firms, are heavily reliant on IT systems and the data stored on them, and benefit greatly from the efficiency and productivity gains their use makes possible. However, with this reliance comes the need to ensure information is properly protected and backed up, so that in the event of data loss, or in circumstances that prevent access to office premises, operations are not affected."
"This research clearly shows that many law firms can't guarantee the protection and accessibility of critical business information. In the event of a disaster, 1 in 4 would not be able to continue working and would likely lose all of their data permanently. This is despite the fact that data back-up does not have to be complicated or expensive. Automated, online data backup options are available to suit even the smallest of firms, at a small price to pay for what is essentially peace of mind."
The study also highlighted that the legal industry is embracing technology as a way of improving its efficiency – more than 8 in 10 firms are using electronic communications more than they used to, and 66 per cent of lawyers now use a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) device, such as a BlackBerry, at work. Employing technology to improve communications can clearly give a competitive edge, however any implementation has to be seen in a wider context as without the correct back-up and business continuity planning, these advances may be counter-productive as they open up law firms to unnecessary risks.
Kingston Communications offers a range of storage and security solutions, from online Server Back-up, costing £2 per GB per month to a more comprehensive Managed Server Hosting package to suit larger firms with more sophisticated storage requirements.
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