The Importance of Regular Backups Why you should backup your computer data regularly
It is impossible to overstate the importance of regularly backing up your important data. I speak from long experience with many clients.  Unfortunately this is a lesson that many of my clients have learned the hard way. Imagine these scenarios. You are writing your first novel. You've just written the last chapter and your computer has been infected by a nasty virus.  There's no backup copy.   You run a leisure tourism business. The river is flooding and the water is about to enter your riverside office. The army have just arrived and told you to leave immediately. You run a holiday accommodation business. Your computer crashed with your bookings database open and all your client details have been lost. You run a tourist attraction and conference centre. The mother board on your computer has just died and the computer needs to be sent off for repair. All your important data is going to spend 2 weeks at the repair centre. You make a regular inventory of your college department which you keep on a floppy disc for ease of use.  You only have one copy of the disc and the disc has stopped working. Your final piece of GCSE coursework is due to be submitted. You didn't print it out and your horrid sister/brother has just downloaded a video from the internet. The video had some malware attached to it and now your computer doesn't work. Murdering your little sister/brother is tempting but it won't make your computer work. You keep your computer shut in a custom made cupboard in the desk because it looks tidier. Someone forgot to turn the computer off and left the cupboard doors shut. The computer has overheated and the motherboard has failed.
I haven't made these up. They happened to my clients. Most people think that data loss won't happen to them. It can happen to any one of us at any time. Your computer can be stolen, your office can burn down. The best way to protect yourself against data loss it by performing regular backups. This means having at least 2 copies of your data at any time, although I have heard it said that if your data doesn't exist in at least 3 places it doesn't exist at all. Businesses should consider having at least one backup copy of their data stored in a different location. Then if there is a fire, a flood or a burglary, at least your data is safe. A differentlocation can mean the use of an online backup company, where your data is stored remotely or can be as simple as taking a memory stick home with you at the end of the day. If you take your laptop home at the end of the day, then leave a copy of your data in the office too. Don't think of backing up data as a chore that will be performed when you have the time. It is essential and should be an integral part of the daily work of any businesses. Don't leave it until the last minute, to be overlooked because you have to leave work. If you are running a larger business, don't rely on individual employees to backup their work. Ensure that effective software is running on your system to perform automatic backups.
How Should you Backup? Exactly how and where you backup to will depend on the size and nature of your business and the volume of data to be saved. Small amounts of data can be backed up manually just copy the documents onto your chosen backup medium: memory stick, CD, DVD, external harddrive. Larger amounts of data will be much easier to handle and back ups will be more effective if you use specialist backup software. This software will allow you to perform incremental backups backing up the data you have created or changed since the last backup. With specialist software you will be able to choose which data to back up, how often to back it up and be reminded to perform backups if your computer is turned off when the backup is due. For larger businesses, backup software can perform running backups, ensuring that your data is being constantly backed up to another location on your network, to an external storage device or remotely to an online backup service. Consider using an online backup service to ensure that you have a copy of your data stored away from your office or computer.  Remember though that even on broadband this will be slow.  Upload speeds are a fraction of download speeds.  It might be quicker and easier to use a memory stick and simply take it home with you. Many computer users these days are aware of the importance of using effective security software. Many think that doing so will protect their computer from harm and ensure their data is safe. I always tell my clients that the ultimate defence against malware is to perform regular and effective backups. Then, if the unthinkable happens at least your precious data is safe. For businesses this is a fundamental and essential principle. For home users this can literally preserve your family history. Imagine losing all your precious photos and family records. Unthinkable. Don't let it happen. Do your backups. (7 June 08)