Anyone who's worked with important files has experienced data loss at some point. Often, you’ll be able to recover the files immediately through automatic software backups. But sometimes, you’re not that lucky.
That’s just one reason data backup is so important.
We also want to protect our investments in music and movies and preserve our family photos and other important files we store on our computer hard drives and smartphones. Yet, 30 percent of people don’t back up their data, according to statistics from WorldDayData.
Today’s technology makes it easier than ever to back up important files, both locally and to the cloud, so no matter what happens to your device, you can access your important data. A strong, fast Wi-Fi connection through Consolidated Communications can help make cloud-based backups faster and easier than ever.
Local Backups
If you’re working on a long-term project such as an e-book, a slideshow, or a video, data backup may be as simple as saving a second copy of your file to a USB drive or an external hard drive.
You might also back up your computer hard drive weekly to an external drive. You can use the integrated Backup and Restore feature on Windows 10 to create a full copy of your entire Windows install, including all your files.
If you do, it’s smart to also keep an Internet-based backup in case a fire, flood, or other natural disaster destroys your technology, making it impossible to access your local backups.
Cloud-Based File Synchronization
The Internet offers many resources for data backups. For saving specific files, such as important work documents, consider using cloud-storage like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Microsoft OneDrive. These services are free for the first few gigabytes, with a low monthly or annual charge for virtually unlimited storage that can meet the needs of most families.
The best part of these services is that they sync to all your devices, so you can access important files from anywhere with an Internet connection, whether you’re using your smartphone, laptop, or desktop.
Back Up Your Entire Drive Weekly or Daily
Services like OneDrive, MS Drive, and Dropbox are great for keeping your data synced to all your devices and for storing individual files, including photos, spreadsheets, and documents.
However, they aren’t conducive to storing a full copy of your hard drive, including your OS, in the cloud. That’s where data backup services like iDrive, Acronis, and Carbonite come in. These services run in the background on your PC and keep all your data backed up in the cloud.
How Often Should You Back Up Your Data?
Back up important files, like work presentations, frequently as you work. If you’re using a file synchronization and cloud storage service like Dropbox, you can work directly in the platform for an automatic, cloud-based backup.
Most home users can back up their home PCs and other devices weekly or whenever you’ve added massive amounts of data to your system. For instance, if you’ve just downloaded the entire collection of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies to your media server, you’ll want to back up immediately to avoid losing your investment.
Make a Vow to Back Up Your Data Right Now
If you aren’t already backing up your data, start now. With a strong, stable Wi-Fi connection through Consolidated Communications, backing up your data to the cloud is faster and more reliable than ever.