I have had many clients who experienced some sort of data loss. Some have lost business data for that project that is due Friday. Others have lost something that hits closer to home. They lost irreplaceable photos of their children, deceased loved ones, family vacations and even those unmentionables they hold on to. Either case can be devastating?
In any case of data loss a back up proves itself useful. If you are not already backing up your files you may want to start today. Lets look at some of the different options you have available to you.
- Secondary Hard Drive (Internal or external) – A second hard drive is one of the fastest most convenient ways to back up your files. You can setup automatic backups on this drive in case your primary fails. This is a great option if like to keep your backups “in-house”. The downside is you can still lose your backup in the case of a fire, theft or leaving your portable drive somewhere.
- Online back-ups – Online backups are nice because they provide a backup that is accessible even of your personal equipment is lost or stolen. The downside is that your backups are performed over the internet. This can be a slow process depending on your upload speed and the amount of data you are backing up.
- Flash drive – Flash drives are great for small temporary backups. They are quick and convenient when you need to grab an extra copy from the office or class. But flash drives are easily lost or damaged. Flash drives also lose their integrity after prolonged use and may become inaccessible.
Choose the method you feel most comfortable with. I have tried a few paid programs and online services. I found a solution that worked for me when I came across Comodo Backup. It is a free program with many useful features like encryption and compression. I use it to backup automatically to a secondary internal drive. I also use it to perform monthly manual backups to an external drive that I keep in a fire/water safe. This program also gives you the option to upgrade and pay for online backups.
Lets face it. Your data is too important to lose. Keep it safe. Take steps to prevent the inevitable. Your computer WILL fail eventually.
If you have anything to add to this discussion please feel free to comment.
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