Its not a case of will you have a hardware failure, but when will you have a hardware failure. Anything can and will fail given enough time, so its worth making sure all your data and files are backed up safely.
I have seen instances where users have backed up their files on the same disk drive. If that drive fails not only will they loose their original files, but their backups as well. It is vital that your backups are located on somethign other than your main drive.
Flash drives are a simple method of backing up your files. You can either copy paste your files from your computer onto the flash drive, or if you have a large amount of files/data compress them into a zip file before copying to the flash drive.
Another method is to use a CD or DVD. If you do this it may be worth archiving your data, as opposed to simply having one backup and writing over it again and again.
Another good method is to use a portable USB disk drive. These are generally high volume storage devices, so it may be possible to backup up more than one system onto the one device.
It is one thing to have backups, but you need to ensure your backups are complete and can be used. For example of you create a zip file make sure it can be opened and is not corrupt or damaged.
If you ever need to use a backup you will be relived knowing you have the data available and it is known to work.
If you do not have up to data backups, it may be possible to use software or a data recover company to recover lost data from a damaged drive, but having backups that you can trust will save you a fortune in terms of money or time spend trying to resolve a bad situation.
I recomend using at least two forms of backup. That way you always have a plan B. YOu can never have to many options open to you.
Mack.
As the saying goes, “Nothing lasts forever"; you can lose all your data without you even knowing it. Thus, having a backup system is certainly essential. Find out what meets your needs and enjoy the great benefit of having an online backup. Ruby Badcoe @ Williams Data Management
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with your last statement. Nowadays, it's important for you to be definite of things. Having an extra backup isn't enough. You need to have at least two copies of it. Others may find it exaggerating, but you're only doing it for the safety of your files. Creating a backup on an external drive and on the cloud is the best thing to do.
ReplyDeleteManda Maldanado @ Scality