Almost every business we take on believes it has backups. Roughly half of them have something that has never been restored from, which is not a backup, it is a hope. The only meaningful question is how long it takes to get you working again after the worst realistic day, and whether anyone has ever measured that.
The point of sale and the booking system are the recovery priority, because a shop that cannot take payment is closed regardless of what else works.
Alexandria sits inside our 30 mile service area from Ashburn, so a technician can be with you the same day when something needs hands on it. The phone is answered 24/7 and technicians are available weekdays 8am to 6pm.
A backup nobody has restored is not a backup
We test restores rather than trusting a green tick, because green ticks lie in ways that only show up under pressure. The first restore test on a new client is usually the most valuable hour of the engagement.
Ransomware changed what a backup has to survive
Anything reachable from an infected machine can be encrypted with it, including the backup drive plugged into the server. Backups now need a copy that the network cannot reach and cannot delete.
How long can you actually be down
An hour, a day, a week: the honest answer changes what you should buy. Most small businesses have never been asked the question and end up over-buying protection for the wrong system while the one that matters has none.
Cloud files still need backing up
Files in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace are synced, not backed up. If someone deletes or encrypts them, the sync obediently applies that everywhere, which is precisely the problem.
Questions we get from Alexandria
- Do you actually come out to Alexandria?
- Yes. Alexandria is inside our service area and we drive out for the work that needs hands on it. Most things get fixed remotely the same day, and when a visit is the right answer we quote the time before anyone gets in the van.
- What do you usually find when you take on a Alexandria business?
- Old Town Alexandria is beautiful buildings and difficult wiring. King Street retail often cannot drill where the access point needs to go, so the design works around the building.
- How often do you test a restore?
- On a schedule, and always after any significant change to the system being protected. If nobody has restored from it, the backup's real status is unknown rather than working.
- Is a USB drive in the office enough?
- It is better than nothing and it will not survive fire, theft or ransomware, since anything the computer can write to can also be encrypted. It should be one copy, not the only copy.
- How fast could we be working again?
- That depends on what you are protecting and what you have chosen to spend, which is why we ask how long you can be down before recommending anything.
- Do you back up the cloud too?
- Yes, and it matters more than most people expect. Cloud platforms guarantee the service, not your ability to undo a deletion after the retention window closes.
- Where is the data stored?
- Encrypted before it leaves your premises, and we tell you exactly where the copies live rather than saying the cloud.
Talk to someone in Alexandria
Fifteen minutes on the phone, no discovery-call ritual. If we are not the right fit we will say so.
Backup and recovery nearby
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