Digital media is a wonderful thing, but when technology fails, you run the risk of losing a ton of important stuff in the ensuing meltdown. For this reason, finding a good backup solution is critical. After all, imagine how devastated you would be if your computer died or a fire destroyed your home and you lost irreplaceable photos of your children taken when they were babies?
External Hard Drive
An external hard drive is one way of backing up important data from a computer or tablet. Hard drives used to be fairly large and expensive, but technology is continually evolving and now it is possible to buy a one terabyte external hard drive not much larger than a cell phone for very little cash. But although external hard drives are a convenient way of backing up data, they are easy to lose and are not immune to technical malfunctions, so you could still lose important data, one way or another.
Online Backup
Online backups are very useful. Data is uploaded to a remote server somewhere in cyberspace and as long as you choose a reputable online backup company, it should be safe and sound. Most online storage companies provide simple software that uploads new files and compares the files in both locations, automatically updating the online version if necessary. If you happen to lose any critical data, or you buy a new device, all you need to do is access your online backup and restore the files. For small amounts of data, there are a few free online backup solutions, but for larger amounts of data, you may have to pay an annual or monthly fee.
Burn CD/DVD
If you only have a small number of files to save, copying them to a CD or DVD is a quick and easy way to create a backup. It only takes a few minutes to do and as long as you store your backup CDs or DVDs somewhere safe, your files will be fine. One thing to remember, however, is the importance of labeling the disc. Blank discs are easily copied over, so make sure you don’t accidentally erase the novel you have spent the last ten years writing.
Emailing a copy of a file to your own account is a useful way of making a quick backup copy. It is also a good way to ‘date stamp’ a file, which could come in handy if a document is the subject of a copyright dispute. It is a good idea, though, to pay close attention when typing in the recipient’s email address. Imagine how embarrassing it would be if you accidentally emailed some naughty video footage to your boss instead of to your own account.
Make Hard Copies
In the case of some important documents, it may be worth printing hard copies and saving them somewhere else.
No one backup method is 100% reliable, although online backup solutions come pretty close. With this in mind, it is probably a good idea to utilize more than one back up method if your data is critical. That way you won’t be left disadvantaged if your home or business floods or burns to the ground.
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Today’s guest author,
Ken Rogers, is an employee at Steamatic, which offers mold remediation services. Whenever he is inspired, he enjoys creating graffiti wall art.
Ken Rogers, is an employee at Steamatic, which offers mold remediation services. Whenever he is inspired, he enjoys creating graffiti wall art.
