Data Backup, Get it Done!
The concept of data backup doesn't come naturally to many computer users. I remember in a previous life when I was working on computers in a marketing communications job... data backup was the last thing in my mind then. The first was deadlines and getting work done, mostly desktop publishing.
Don't Rely only on the IT Department
Back in my desktop publishing days data backup was for the IT guy to handle, not me. Turns out, we lost some important data because the IT guy wasn't backing up the stuff we thought he was. That was a light bulb moment for me: I see, I need to make sure anything important to me is being backed up, even it means me doing it.
I find a lot of my clients have the same mindset, neglecting to c.y.a. by backing up. They're nonchalant because they haven't been burned by losing an important file. I have convinced some of my clients to implement online backup and others to at least back up to USB drives. I guess it's just so ingrained in my brain now, but I'm still surprised when I work with a new client, especially a business client, who is not backing up data as a habit.
Hazards abound, backup now
Given all the online threats, including ransomware attacks (which lock your computer and require payment to free it), and hardware failures, human error, and environmental factors like storms (and where I live, in Hawaii, volcanoes!), it's really, really, really important that you have a data backup plan.
Backup to to a USB drive - easy peasy
Your plan can be a simple as inserting a USB thumb drive and copying the contents of your Documents folder to the drive (if Documents holds your most important files). Then weekly, you can copy any new docs to the same folder on the drive. You'll store the backup drive in a drawer. Voila! You are doing data backup!
Online backup
For businesses, I recommend an online backup solution with either Mozy or Carbonite. (Carbonite recently acquired Mozy, so I'm steering now towards the parent company, Carbonite.) The benefit of online backup is this: If any files are damaged or compromised on your computer, whether from offline or online causes, you can login to the backup server and restore the files to ANY computer.
First the program, then the data
Keep in mind, if you have a serious computer failure you'll need to get a computer running again to use programs with specific data sets, like QuickBooks, Quicken, etc. You can't restore your backed-up data from those programs and access it unless you are running the actual program, e.g. QuickBooks. This is not true with photos, PDFs, Word documents, etc.
Get help
If you're still glassy-eyed about this topic after reading this article, get some help from a friend or IT consultant. Avoid the pain of learning the importance of data backup after critical files are lost or damaged. Invest in some peace of mind; implement a plan soon.
Thanks for reading!
-Sam
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