Don't Have Your Head In The Clouds When It Comes To Data Security In today's fast-paced, highly competitive, data-driven business environment, there are a couple of tools you just can't afford to be without.

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• Company: Quickbooks Payroll
• Visit: www.quickbooks.co.za

Good Accounting and Payroll Software are two of the most important assets of any business. Having reliable, functional and affordable packages will go a long way in assisting businesses to succeed.

But, in this era of cyber crimes, safeguarding that invaluable information is vitally important. The harsh reality of data theft is that 65% of the victims are small to medium businesses. The cost of recovering from a data breach is about R500 000.

Globally, companies lose over R42 trillion a year as a result of data breaches. 72% of businesses that suffer a data breach will close down within 24 months.

A business fundamental

This is why data security is one of the fundamentals that any SME should invest in. With a 10GB bundle costing as little as R100 a month and 100GB costing R700, data security will prove it's worth when it is needed.

As a business, we don't expect our data to be at risk. After all, it's automatically saved on the server. The problem with this scenario is that you'll only recognise the problem when the unthinkable happens. At worst, your office building burns down and your server is destroyed, or your offices are burgled or your system hacked.

None of these scenarios come under the heading, "It won't happen to me or my business." The reality is that it can happen to you and the beauty of cloud-based data protection is that your business' data is safe and can be accessed from anywhere — even on your smartphone.

Safeguard your data

To safeguard your precious data, QuickBooks offers CloudProtect, which provides full protection. It allows you to control your data remotely, track your device using geo-locate, and wipe data off a stolen computer with your smart phone, while keeping the data safely stored in the cloud.

Here are just some of the QuickBooks CloudProtect features:

• It's reliable and secure
• You can connect anywhere in the world
• It's scalable and flexible in terms of scalable infrastructure
• Simplified administration — One robust solution for desktop, laptop and server data
• Data loss prevention — Content on a lost or stolen laptop can be remotely wiped
• Privacy of data — Your data can only be accessed by you.

Cloud services aren't a new, emerging trend. They're already here and you are missing out on some spectacular benefits if you aren't already taking advantage of these services. Don't have your head in the clouds, get your data into the cloud — the return on investment will be worth it.