Business servers, NAS and data backup in Corsica
We install business servers and NAS devices to centralise your files and back up your data in Bastia and across Corsica. A NAS is a storage box connected to your network. The whole team finds the same documents there. With automatic backups and a copy kept off site, it protects your business against a hardware failure, a theft or ransomware.
Server or NAS, what is network storage for?
Files scattered across everyone's computers, on USB sticks, in several inboxes. Nobody knows which version is the right one any more, and a single failure can wipe out years of work. We put in a set-up sized to your organisation.
- 01
The NAS
A compact file server on the network that brings the team's documents together, with access rights per person or per department. For a small organisation it is often the right choice.
- 02
The business server
A more powerful machine. It runs networked business software, a database, a user directory, or virtual machines (several logical servers on one physical box).
- 03
Backup
Automatic, regular copies of your data, on a second medium and away from your premises. After an incident, everything can be restored.
- 04
The UPS
A battery that takes over during a power cut. The server has time to shut down cleanly without damaging data. One autumn thunderstorm is enough to see the point.
Centralised storage for small firms, practices or councils
Any organisation that produces documents needs a safe place to keep them. In some lines of work that is even more true.
- 01
Professional practices
Accountants, lawyers, notaries, architects. Heavy, confidential archives that must be kept for years, and found quickly.
- 02
Healthcare
Medical and allied health practices. Patient data calls for stronger precautions.
- 03
Trades and construction
Plans, site photos, quotes. Large files moving between the office and the teams.
- 04
Local authorities and associations
Council minutes, administrative files, accounting records, often handled by several departments or several volunteers.
How to choose a NAS or server for your business
- 01
Capacity and growth
We measure how much data you have today and estimate how it will grow. Nobody wants storage that is full a few months after installation.
- 02
Disk redundancy
RAID spreads data across several disks so the system keeps running if one fails. Be careful, though. RAID is not a backup, and a deletion, ransomware or a fire reaches it like everything else.
- 03
Use
Plain file sharing, networked business software, remote access for staff on the move. Depending on the case, we go for a NAS or a fuller server.
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Location
A server makes noise and gets warm. It needs somewhere ventilated, lockable, protected, even in small premises. Under the reception desk does not count.
Data backup for small businesses, the 3-2-1 rule
Reliable backup rests on a simple, well-established principle. Three copies of your data, on two different media, with one kept away from your premises. In practice your files live on the NAS, an automatic backup goes to a second medium, and a further copy travels to a remote location, for instance an encrypted cloud service or another of your sites.
That off-site copy protects you from theft, fire, flood or ransomware, the malicious software that encrypts your files to demand payment. We prefer versioned backups, which keep several successive states of each file. We also test restores. A backup nobody has ever restored is still a hypothesis.
For GDPR, server access is by named account and limited to what each person needs. Administration is locked down. As for the off-site copy, it is chosen with an eye on where your data will be hosted.
Server installation and migration of your data
- 01
Needs assessment
We take stock of your data and how you use it, then look at the premises and existing equipment. On site in Bastia, or elsewhere in Haute-Corse.
- 02
Recommendation and quote
A design explained in plain terms. The quote separates each item of spend (hardware, disks, off-site backup, installation time).
- 03
Set-up
Server installation, folder structure, access rights, migration of existing data. Then scheduled backups, with a first test restore before we leave.
- 04
Handover and maintenance
Documentation of the installation, plus a few explanations for your team. Where to save files, how to get back an earlier version, who to call when in doubt.
What drives the cost of a server or NAS
Budget depends first on usable storage capacity and how much it is expected to grow. Next come the level of redundancy (number of disks, backup power) and the type of machine, NAS or fuller server. Off-site backup may involve a subscription. You also need to allow for the volume of data to migrate, and sometimes for installing networked business software.
Where it helps, we price several options so you can choose knowing the trade-offs of each.
Backup monitoring and server maintenance
You do not install a server and forget it. Disks wear out. Security updates keep coming, and a backup can stop working without anyone noticing for weeks. Under a maintenance contract, we monitor disk health and check that backups run as they should. We apply updates and test restores at regular intervals. If space starts running low, you hear about it in advance.
Technologies and methods
- NAS
- RAID
- 3-2-1 backup
- Versioned backup
- UPS
- VPN
- GDPR
Frequently asked questions
Is a NAS enough, or do we need a proper server?
In most small organisations a NAS is enough to share files and back them up. A server becomes worthwhile if you run networked business software, a database or several services. We point you in the right direction based on how you actually work.
Doesn't the cloud replace an on-site server?
The two complement each other. Local storage stays fast, and it keeps working when the internet connection drops. The cloud, for its part, is very well suited to the off-site copy. Depending on your situation we combine the two, or point you to a fully online set-up through our hosting and cloud service.
Is RAID enough to protect our data?
No. RAID lets you keep working when a disk fails. But a deletion, ransomware or theft hits every disk at once. Against those risks, only a real backup with a copy away from your premises will do.
Can we reach our files from outside the office?
Yes, securely, through a VPN, which is an encrypted tunnel between the remote computer and your network. What we avoid is putting the server directly on the internet. It is a common mistake, and a dangerous one.
Our files are spread over several computers. Is that a problem?
No, it is very common. We gather everything onto the new storage, organise the folder structure with you, then remove duplicates where we can. You start again from a clean base.