With 2012 already underway, many business owners are looking to invest in new technology that could allow them to better make use of their existing data storage infrastructure. One way business owners are finding a solution to this problem is by using virtualization to host different virtual servers on their existing physical servers.

However, while virtualization offers businesses the ability to cut costs and streamline their IT operations, these services still need to be backed up so that a serious data loss during or after a disaster can be mitigated. But, by taking simple steps with the right assistance, business owners and IT managers can gain the knowledge they need to back up their virtual infrastructures and make the best decisions for their business.

According to a recent report by the cloud computing research firm Cloudtweaks, there are some features that business owners should examine before choosing how to best backup this essential business data. For example, cost-effectiveness was cited as an important aspect, as the research group indicated that as much as 50 percent of a company's IT budget can go toward backup if owners fail to make the right investment.

In addition, the researchers advise business owners to look for a backup vendor that is capable of migrating data from physical to virtual (P2V) and virtual to virtual (V2V) servers. The report also suggested that backup services that provide an efficient use of storage and flexible backup storage options could be highly valuable to business owners.

But, some busy business owners may not have the resources to dedicate a member of their IT staff toward handling all aspects of the company's data backup. As such, a disaster recovery consulting group that provides support for this business data – as well as the hot sites and workgroup centers clients need for their physical activities – can be the biggest asset.