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Video description
There are many ways that you can lose data, from mechanical failure, to accidents, to theft. Nightmarish as they all are, you can mitigate the horror with a well-timed data backup. Remembering to backup frequently can evade even the most experienced tech enthusiast, which is why we are covering some simple tricks to ensure we can all backup regularly.
What to Backup?
Limiting what it is you decide to backup will make it easier on yourself. After all, procrastinating on a two- or three-hour chore is easier than something that will only take a few minutes. What’s the first thing you think of when you want to backup your files? Personal documents, photos, videos: things that would be impossible to replace? Perhaps you thought of apps, programs, and system settings without which you can’t do your job? If you do want to backup absolutely everything on your computer, the best solution might be a one-off big backup followed by scheduled mini-backups.
Scheduling
Scheduling backups is great for ‘set and forget’ data protection that gives you the most updated versions of your files at arm’s reach. Depending on your workload, you may want to set up a daily, weekly, or even monthly backup. You can even automate them to an external drive using Windows Backup/File History or macOS Time Machine. We have a video about how to backup a Mac with Time Machine: • How to Backup a M…
Cloud Backup
External drives are one thing, but cloud storage should not be your only option when it comes to data backups, even if it is the easiest. Cloud companies are favored targets of cybercriminals and may change their user agreements from month to month, both of which jeopardize your data. Monthly subscriptions can prove to be more costly than purchasing your own storage. Use the 3-2-1 theory of backing up data. Retain 3 copies of your data total: 2 copies on different devices, and 1 in a secure location (e.g. in a safe, or offsite). It may sound paranoid, but it has served people well for decades. To meet this standard, you might want to keep a copy of your data on your local device, another on the cloud, and a last on an external drive you keep in your home.
External Backup
Finding the right external drive means considering durability and speed, as well as capacity. The Kingston IronKey Locker+ USB Flash Drive has a USB to Cloud backup feature to access data on the drive from your personal cloud storage through Google Drive, OneDrive, and more. It’s also hardware encrypted for your security. The portable Kingston XS2000 is small, fast, and comes in capacities up to 2TB. For backing up more sensitive data that you don’t want falling into the wrong hands, consider the Kingston IronKey Vault Privacy 80 External SSD, featuring a color touchscreen with OS-independent hardware encryption. If that seems overzealous, though, Kingston has a range of USB flash drives, SD and microSD cards that may suit your needs.
Conclusion
To protect your data, decide what is necessary to backup, then schedule and automate your backups. Don’t just rely on the cloud, use the 3-2-1 rule to ensure data safety, even in the event of hardware loss or failure.
Tell us about your favorite backup method in the comments!