22. There are no systems in place for backing up content from Web 2.0 tools;

There can be a trade off it choosing to use low cost web 2.0 software as a service tools in terms of control over them and a guarantee that they will always be around.

There is also a risk that staff error may lead to the loss of information held in third-party online tools. For example, if an account needs to be renewed, but it was registered to an e-mail address which is no longer active and notifications get lost.

The last thing a local authority wants is for all the content and input from citizens to be lost half way through an online consultation. And organisations don't want to see their rich online information resources disappearing from the web because an account hasn't been renewed or a company has gone bust.

If organisations can't be convinced of the stability of their information then they may be reluctant to use online tools - and may turn to high cost proprietary solutions instead.

Most online tools provide APIs, Data feeds or export options which can be used to back-up content.

Services like LifeStreamBackup offer automated off-site back-up of many online tools.

Creating a backup strategy can still be a lot cheaper than building proprietary tools. By using web tools with open standards it should be possible to recover from any loss of service relatively rapidly.

It may be wise to build in a contingency budget when choosing to use any low cost or free online tools, to fund recovery from backups should a service that you are relying upon close down.

Overcoming this barrier may take a while. Are there any ways staff can work-around this barrier effectively until more permanent solutions are in place?

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