Data backup – Everything you need to know

In today’s world, data is as valuable as money. From important pieces of work to images and video memories of our vacations, we all have invaluable data stored in our computers and mobile devices that we wouldn’t like to lose. But unfortunately, data loss can affect anyone, and if you’re not careful, you might never even be able to retrieve your data. This is why data backup is indispensable.

In simple words, data backup is the process of copying or archiving essential files and folders so that you can restore them in case of data loss. Data loss can be the result of anything from a malicious computer virus to hardware failure or file corruption. Sometimes, even a small human error like accidental deletion of files or folders can be the cause. Let’s first understand why backups are important.

Benefits of backing up data
Data backup offers peace of mind. After all, apart from saving your personal files, data backups can also protect your business. Having said this, let’s look at some of its benefits:

• Easy access and more reliability
  Probably the greatest thing about backing up your data is that you can retrieve it with just a few clicks. Backing up data gives you the certainty that you can access all your files in mere seconds. Plus, if you’re using a cloud-based storage system, you can not only access information quickly but also from anywhere, provided you have an internet connection.
• Protection against hardware failures
  You may have one of the best computers in the market, but the hardware might start malfunctioning or wear out over time, resulting in data loss. The in-built hard drives are infamous for crashing or eroding after a period, and your system is also susceptible to damage beyond your control, like power outages, which can end up crashing the hard drive. So, backing up your data regularly means you don’t have to worry about any issues that can result in the loss of your valuable data.
• Protection from virus
  The worst thing about internet viruses is that they can wreak havoc on your computer. Some viruses and trojans don’t just harm data but might even steal or erase it. However, if you have a backup, you don’t need to worry as you can format your hard drive and restore it with the most recent backup.
• Improved efficiency of your company
  If you’re a business owner, you must know that backed up data can improve productivity by cutting down on the need to rework on important files. These backed up files also play a key role in comparative studies of the past and current situations, which can be used to devise a more effective plan for the organization. Data backup can also offer a significant competitive advantage over other businesses that have not yet realized the importance of saving data.

The best ways to back up your data
Now that you’ve understood the importance of data backup, let’s understand how to do it. There are several ways of backing up your data, and each has its pros and cons. Here are some of the most common ways of saving data:

• Cloud backup
  Cloud storage services are one of the most popular ways of protecting and storing data today. They not only offer a decent amount of free storage space but also keep your data secure with robust end-to-end encryption. Plus, you can buy additional storage at reasonable prices. Another advantage of cloud storage is that your data is secured in a remote location and can be accessed at any time and from anywhere, as long as you have an internet connection. Some famous and reliable cloud storage services that you can explore are iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox. There are several other cloud-based services, but it is best to not select any new services as they may not be very reliable.
• External hard drive
  You can back up your data to external and portable hard drives. They’re usually wired storage devices but some have wireless capabilities as well. They are very easy to use, and certain software also enable you to schedule backups so that you don’t have to do it manually every time. Many hard drives come with USB 3.0 capabilities today, but ensure that you buy these only if your computer supports the feature. Also, you must store hard drives carefully to protect them from theft, flood, fire, or any other mishap.
• USB flash drive
  These are little solid-state drives that you can carry around in your pocket. They’re affordable, portable, and offer a good amount of storage space for the price. However, you must keep in mind that since they’re tiny, losing them is pretty easy, so they’re not always recommended for long-term storage of important information.
• Network-attached Storage (NAS) device
  NAS is a server exclusively meant for backing up data. Depending on the drive and your computer, it can be used either wired or wirelessly, and the device appears as another drive on your computer once it’s configured. NAS devices can save data from several computers at once, unlike hard drives and flash drives.
• CD, DVD, or Blu-ray disc
  Although less popular now, this is still one of the most reliable methods of backing up data. CD, DVD, or Blu-ray discs are available at extremely low prices and are great for storing data permanently. Having said that, the storage space in these discs is limited, and managing backed up data is a time-consuming process.
• Use multiple methods
  For additional protection, it is recommended that you employ more than one method of saving data. Ideally, you should use both onsite and offsite backups for your data. An onsite backup, like external hard drives and flash drives, means the backup storage devices are present in the same physical location as you. In the case of offsite backups like cloud storage, on the other hand, data is stored at a different location. Using both methods gives you added protection in case one of them fails.