The term "air gap" might sound technical, but it essentially refers to a security measure where a computer or network is physically isolated from unsecured networks like the internet. In the context of backups, an air gap means storing backup data offline, completely disconnected from any network. This physical separation ensures that even if cybercriminals breach your primary systems, your backup data remains untouched and secure.
The importance of air gap backup cannot be overstated. In an age where ransomware attacks and data breaches are rampant, having an untouchable backup can be the difference between quickly recovering from an attack and suffering significant data loss and downtime. Air gap backups provide an additional layer of security that other backup methods cannot match.