If there was an emergency, is your computer data protected? Imagine if there was a power surge, a natural disaster, or your computer was infected with a ransomware virus. Is there anything on your computer that is irreplaceable? If so, you need to seriously consider protecting your data before disaster strikes.
There are a couple of good options available to backup your data, and most of them, once you set them up, take care of themselves without any additional intervention. And the cost is negligible, when compared to the loss of business files, or the one that most of my clients are concerned about – your personal photos. Nowadays, most people have years of photos saved on their computers, as opposed to printed in a photo album. These precious memories can never be replaced, as anyone, who has lost decades of mementos in a house fire, can attest.
Backup Options:
- Backup Hard Drive – Depending on the number of files you have on your computer, you can purchase a USB flash drive or portable/external hard drive to connect to your computer. I have clients that simply want to backup their bookkeeping software, so a flash drive will suffice. Most QuickBooks installations will setup up a backup scheduled of every 3-4 times you use the software.If you want to backup all your documents, I recommend an external hard drive, my preference being a powered 3.5″ hard drive model, with built-in cooling fan, or a Solid State Drive (SSD), with no moving parts. These are fairly inexpensive, and a 2-terabyte + should suffice for most businesses’ use. (Newegg is my preferred source for computer hardware.) Any Windows operating system over Windows 7, has the built-in ability to backup data on a schedule of your choosing. Simply plug in the hard drive via the USB plug, set the schedule, and relax.
- Cloud Backup – Even more secure, in case of a local disaster, is a cloud backup subscription. One of the most highly recommended solution is Backblaze, which costs as little as $5 a month. If you had a flood, fire or ransomware attack, a local backup hard drive, connected to your computer, is susceptible to the same damage as your computer. However, utilizing a cloud-based backup solution alleviates this issue. Most reputable cloud-based companies have built-in redundancy, so your files are saved on multiple servers, in case of a hardware or disaster issue on their end. All you need is an Internet connection and a subscription, setup a backup schedule, and your data is saved off-site.
Personally, I like redundancy, so I recommend both solutions. You can never have your data too safe…especially, considering the hassle or recreating it, or worse, losing what is irreplaceable. Having your data backed up will make restoring it a breeze…well, to be honest, setting things back up is never “easy.” But, it is MUCH easier than starting from scratch.
As a note, for you photobugs, I highly recommend buying new SD cards when yours fills up. Simply, drop the full one in your fire-proof lock box, and install a new card into your camera. Just another way to save those irreplaceable photos.
If you need further assistance in deciding how to get your backup solution setup, do not hesitate to contact us.
Until next issue…Best wishes in your endeavors!