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In today's business world, data is a critical asset. What would you do if your business' emails, billing records, customer files, inventory reports, payroll and tax information disappeared? According to a study from PricewaterhouseCoopers, 70 percent of small firms that experience a major data loss go out of business within a year. Clearly, backing up your business should be a priority, but if you're like most businesses, you probably don't back up frequently or as cost-effectively as you should.

Here are five data backup best practices to consider when evaluating backup solutions.

Store Your Data Offsite

If you use CD/DVDs, external hard drives or USB flash drives to back up your business do you safely store them outside your place of business? Not many businesses do. However, there is a better way to back up. Use an online backup service, such as Carbonite Business, which stores your data offsite in secure data centers. You'll never have to remember to bring your backed up files home again, and they will be safe from natural disasters, fires, spills and theft.

Backup Data Regularly

How often do you backup your computers? If you answered only once a month, or even once a week, that is not often enough. A computer can crash or get a virus when it's least expected, wiping out a significant amount of data instantly. By using an online backup service, your files are automatically and continually backed up. Once you have Carbonite on your computer, you don't need to do a thing because Carbonite does it for you - automatically and continually in the background.

Restore Data with Confidence

Let's review. Offsite, automatic and continual backup are best practices to follow, but backing up your data is only part of the equation. Restoring your data when you need it most is the moment of truth. Consider the simplicity and lack of effort required to get your data back. With most online backup services you can recover your data rapidly with just a few clicks.

Make Technology Work for You

We live in a technology-driven world, so having continuous access to data when you're at a customer's office, on the road or working at home seems like a no-brainer. With Carbonite's Anytime, Anywhere Access you can view your backed up presentations, spreadsheets, documents and photos from almost any computer or smart phone day or night. You can't do that with external hard drives, CDs or flash drives.

Invest Wisely

Why entrust your business files to antiquated back up methods that are easily lost or damaged, and which require significant manual effort? Why not use online backup? Especially when Carbonite Business offers simple pricing that is friendly to SMB budgets. Unlike other online backup vendors, Carbonite Business does not charge a fee per computer and instead enables you to back up your entire office for one low fee.

If you still think that using traditional backup methods is the answer, it's time to rethink how important your data is to you. You can help reduce costs and make your business processes more safe and efficient just by following these five data backup best practices.