NuffNang

Friday, February 19, 2010

Back-Up – Did I Say Back-Up?

Tell me – When was the last time you backed up the data on your computer?

Can you remember?

I’m not just talking about the documents, but the photos, the family history, that you always mean to organise and never quite get around to doing.

Those images, those documents are IRREPLACEABLE.

Johhny’s first birthday party or Grandpa’s 80th birthday. They will all be gone if you have a hard-drive failure or similar. Refer Here as to what this similar might encompass

Back everything up – I don’t care what media you use – just back it up and move it off premises. That way if something catastrophic does occur – you will have lost little. Make a habit of it – and do it perhaps once a month, Alternatively – if you can afford it, get off-site data back-up, depending on the connection and the data volume, will determine the cost.

I use plain old data CD’s and copy everything to CD-RW and take a copy to work and the switch that with the 2nd copy and maintain the backwards and forwards, Emails I have set up to automatically be forwarded to a third account, which is used purely for storage. There are many cost-free alternatives.

Use them and by thinking outside the square – you will lose little if your hard-drive fails or flooding, or fire. You have taken another step to protecting yourself and ensuring your family history lives on!

8 comments:

  1. Which reminds me, I haven't backed up for a while. Thank you for the nudge.

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  2. Thanks Dragonsally hopefully that is one person's private and personal history saved

    Back it up using various methods and locations.

    One is better than none ;)

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  3. I just backed up all my stuff after nearly losing it all, I use an online company called Mozy, around $50 for a whole year and it does it in the background, so you're not having to run it yourself all the time. Priceless in my opinion.

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  4. Fen, do you have a website for them? - I would certainly be interested and I'm sure others would be also. You can never have too much 'insurance'

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  5. If you want to be extra careful, don't rely on any one technology/software/hardware. Like mono-cropping, relying on one backup solution can let you down, silently, and you don't usually discover that until you computer is hosed and you turn to your backups only to find they haven't been running properly. Doh!

    Thus I also recommend having some sort of system (manual or automatic) for routinely auditing and checking your backups to ensure that they ARE in fact doing what you expect them to do.

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  6. Robert - I completely agree - I use many forms of back-up from email storage to CD's (as above) and I also have an extrnal HD which I use ONLY for back-ups.
    I'm a little paranoid - always have been - but since Feb 2009 - even more so.
    Thanks for the comments - appreciated the extra input

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  7. Great to see that more and more people are looking for ways to secure their data. You do need more than one method of backup. In that you should always include a online servicethat is automated for you. This insures that should you forget or get too busy one month, the backup doesn't fall behind.

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  8. Arthur, online isnisn't always the answer for some people, Maybe they don;t have access, maybe they can't afford an online service.
    Perhaps 1-2-3 USB sticks are a better option for some people.
    It's a personal choice!

    Thanks for the comments! Really appreciated

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