If you own a computer, you probably have important data stored inside it. Documents for work, memorable photos, captured video clips, you name it.
The fact is, some of the stuff on your computer is invaluable for your life in this increasingly digital world. Hence the need to protect that data through duplicates and backups. Below we’ll discuss some ways to prevent data loss through various backup methods.
Take advantage of online backup
Cloud storage is all the hype nowadays. Provided you have a fast Internet connection with a decent upload rate, you can use online storage as for your backup plans. Otherwise, it’s literally going to take forever to upload your HD videos and vast stores of data.
There’s a multitude of ways to go about this. Your computer may already have an online backup system through your operating system. If not, you can manually sign-up for these services through various apps and websites. The costs and terms wildly vary, so do your homework first before committing to a backup service.
Get a portable hard drive or two
An external hard drive for your Mac or Windows computer can serve as your physical backup device. These portable storage drives are relatively cheap and some even come with a built-in backup program to facilitate your data transfer. It wouldn’t hurt to invest in a couple of these drives, preferably the ones with the largest storage space.
If your computer can support it, go for a USB 3.0 external drive, as these are fast and not that expensive. You’ll definitely want fast transfer rates when dealing with terabytes worth of data.
If you’re just going to archive a bunch of documents and photos, you can go even cheaper and just get a flash drive. It won’t have a lot of storage space, but it’ll still get the job done.
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Transfer your files to local network storage
If you’re connected to a network with storage devices, you can tap into them for backup storage. Network-attached storage (NAS) is specifically designed for this task. Configured properly, it acts as an extra drive on your PC so long as you have access to the network.
This option can get pricey and might require technical know-how to install and maintain, so unless you already have access to one, you’re better off with the other alternatives listed here.
Get an optical drive and burn your data to discs
Burning data on discs used to be a big thing back when portable drives were expensive and fast Internet access was still rare. While it’s mostly passe nowadays, it can still be used as a form of data backup.
Of course, you need to have the appropriate optical drive on your laptop or computer to get started at this. Some laptops nowadays, like gaming laptops, still come with this hardware, but most desktop PCs don’t, especially when they’re built DIY-like.
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Closing Thoughts
Prevention is better than cure, according to that age-old adage. This also applies to data storage and management.
There will be costs involved in preventing data loss. You’ll have to buy backup storage or sign-up for online backup systems. Not having to lose your valuable data is well worth the price of the investment, though.