Even in the heyday of computer technology, not many PC and portable gadgets’ users are familiar with the concept of data backup. In simple terms, backup represents a technology for copying physical or virtual data for their use in the event of loss or destruction of the source code.
Throughout the world, commercial and government enterprises back up data that they consider vulnerable in case of software failure, data corruption, hardware failure, malicious hacking, user error, or other unexpected events.
There are many services and utilities that help users create copies of important documents and files released by leading software developers for the present. Today’s most popular backup solution is for Microsoft users – try out Nakivo office 365 backup if you use software from this world-famous corporation and you if you care about the safety of essential data.
Basic Principles Concerning Data Backup
For now, let’s take a closer look at the key factors regarding backup creation.
Make copies regularly
Creating data backup should be as regular as taking medication. Trust us; you will thank yourself later for such a proper organization when your computer will suddenly shut down one day. Sometimes it can be very unpleasant to lose even a few working days because some crucial data was not backed up previously.
To answer the question “How often should I make a backup?” is possible by determining which data for which period would be the least distressing for you to lose. One of the best options is to back up your files once a week on weekends.
Follow the principle of separateness
It is desirable to copy the vital data to a separate external hard drive (remote server, USB stick, or other media) and store it separately from the primary data. This principle is quite obvious – if there is a problem caused by the system failure or hackers’ attacks, it will be localized in one place.
For example, if your computer’s hard drive is disabled, the backup drive will function flawlessly. Nonetheless, a balance must be struck between ease of access and security. A hard disk placed next to your personal computer significantly increases your motivation to use it for its intended purpose. At the same time, this is not the safest option for critical data that should not be lost in any case. That is why there is a difference between data backup and archiving.
Always do the double-check
As soon as the first data backup is created, you should immediately check that the copied data can be restored from it! It means that you do not just have to see the files on the backup media. You will also need to open several files randomly and check that they are not corrupted. It is highly advisable to do this double-check once a certain period – let’s say, once a year.
Distinguish data by category
The best practice is to distinguish data by category. The categories can be determined by the importance of data to the user, the frequency of updates, or just the theme.
In most cases, backup programs create the so-called “images” of the files being copied. They look like a single file. It is better to keep different data in one “image.”
Why do you need to do this? Naturally, data of different importance requires different treatment. You will probably want to keep your essential documents more carefully than, for instance, a collection of movies. -By dividing data by update frequency, you can save time taken up by the backups’ creation process. The theme determines what data should be restored together in one step. And a clear example of the two types of backup that should be done separately is data backup and system backup.
The data backup can include documents, photos, movies, etc. Browser bookmarks, emails in the mailbox, address book, calendars, configuration file of the banking application, etc. are also taken into account; however, often forgotten about.
As for the system backup, we are talking about the operating system with all its settings. This backup eliminates the need to install the operating system again, adjust all the settings, and install programs. Nevertheless, it is not the most needed type of backup.