In today’s uber-connected, high-tech world, data backup is the most crucial part, and most people don’t realize the importance of data. Indeed, many industry experts suggest data is now worth more than traditional heavy-hitters like oil and gold, so taking steps to protect your files should be a pre-requisite for firms and individuals alike.
While there are many preventative measures you can take to protect your data against file loss or malicious attack – by far, the best and most sensible security precaution is to make regular data backups. Even the most seemingly robust anti-virus and security software can end up becoming compromised but having a data backup will mean you can restore files to a previously safe state.
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The most common ways to data Backup
All individuals are different, and your choice of backup solution will likely come down more to personal preference and convenience than any other factor. Below are just a few solutions you can use to back up data:
Intranet or cloud-based services:
With the increase in cloud services, storing files on remote computers has become an increasingly popular choice for individuals and companies. Intranets powered by intelligent software solutions like those provided by Simpplr are a particularly effective way to protect company data – while cloud providers can also be used to add an extra layer of protection.
USB sticks:
USB sticks are small and highly portable – but this minuteness also makes them relatively easy to lose. You should also consider the finite number of reading/write cycles these smaller drives can endure.
External Hard Disk Drives (HDDs):
Modern external Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) have the advantage of being particularly capacious, offering a portable solution to storing huge amounts of data. However, if you’re using an external HDD for storage, you should try and avoid using it as an everyday drive and reduce its usage.
Network Attached Storage (NAS):
Once the preserve mainly of companies, the price of Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices have tumbled recently, making them an affordable solution for home networks too. If considering purchasing a NAS, you should look for a model with wireless connectivity so it can be accessed all-around your home.
Printing:
Very often, the oldest and simplest solutions are the best and while printing might not immediately seem like it deserves to be on a list of storage solutions, having a hard copy of important files still means your data is backed up – even if just on paper. Of course, printing might be a considerably more basic form of storage, but paper copies won’t fall victim to power outages or if your computer develops a problem for a few days.
CD/DVD:
CDs and DVDs have lost favour in recent years, being usurped by the other forms of storage noted above, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook them for backing up your data. Of course, this medium takes up more space than more modern forms of storage – and you’ll need to ensure they’re protected against scratches or breakages – but CDs and, in particular, DVDs offer relatively large capacities. If you are thinking of using CDs/DVDs for backups, you should probably purchase rewritable disks.
