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Businesses should store corporate websites in multiple locations to stop the risk of losing customers if it encounters any problems, it has been stated.

Netcraft, an internet services company, stressed that if something happens to the main server belonging to a company, it could easily jump to a backup site.

Paul Mutton, the company's internet services developer, said that many major internet shopping websites such as Amazon and Marks & Spencer had invested in such systems to back up the main website around the country, as requests could be rerouted elsewhere without any disruption.

He continued: "What [companies] could potentially do is host the back entrance bases, and the websites themselves, in more than one location, then, if something happens [to the primary website], you can just swap over to another one."

In mid-June, Sainsburys.co.uk, the supermarket's online store, was forced to close after a technical issue suspended transactions, resulting in losses of £200,000 through compensation and affecting 20,000 customers.

New research from Connect found that, on average, it takes businesses that use backup tapes take 11.6 hours to retrieve and restore files. Connect is now recommending that SMEs switch to www.connect.co.uk/services/online_backup