File Backup | Imamother

ggdm

Sun, Dec 09 2018, 6:23 am

Saving to the cloud means, you will always have access to your data. Even if your house burns down or you lose your computer, your files will still be there. It is usually simple.
BUT you are trusting somebody else with your files. If there is a security problem, a third person could get access and know everything in there. This has happened in the past and there is no guarantee that anybody can give that it cannot happen again to any cloud service. Look into their history. Check if they store the files encrypted (AFAIK e.g. iDrive does, DropBox doesn't), this lowers the risk that others could capture your data. Also read the terms of service to see what they do with your data (sell it for ads?).
On the practical downside, you usually have limited cloud space or pay a lot. The initial upload may take a lot of time if you have much data and bad internet connection. Terms may change at any point.

The simplest alternative is to buy a hard drive and copy all your files there. They are cheap now. Do this regularly, e.g. every Thursday night or every first of a month. Leave the drive disconnected otherwise. Nobody can get your data unless they physically get access to that hard drive. If you get a virus or ransomware, it will not affect a disconnected drive (it might affect connected cloud drives).
BUT if your house burns down or the drive breaks, your backup is gone. And you have to be disciplined and actually do the copy regularly. This is where most people fail. There is software to help you (e.g. time machine if you have an apple), but you need to take care and check that it works.

Whatever you do: Make sure you can restore your backup BEFOR you need it. Test it. Check for some files that they are there and complete. So many people find out heir backup is empty only after they need it.

ggdm

Sun, Dec 09 2018, 7:17 am

myself wrote:

Thanks ggdm. I keep hearing of failing external hard drives, hence my question. I currently have a lot of data saved on an external drive, but I'd be lost if it fails.

Well, if you make a backup on a second hard drive from a different vendor that you bought at a different point in time, it is very very unlikely that they will both fail at exactly the same time. More likely is one of the human-error scenarios: Both drives get stolen, destroyed by a desaster, encrypted by ransomware when both are connected to your computer, ...

To secure against that, you could have a two-level backup: One is made often and stored at your house. The other is made every half a year or so and stored somewhere else (work, parents, siblings, bank, ...). Then you shouldn't have too much to worry about.

But whatever you do, even if you are not sure yet exactly what you want - do SOMETHING now. Something is always better than nothing. You can improve on it later.

Amarante

Sun, Dec 09 2018, 9:40 am

I have an Apple computer and use Time Machine so everything is backed up automatically every hour. There are programs for Windows based machines which do the same thing and automatic backup is the best because it saves everything. When you get a new computer, it just automatically will install everything including preferences.

I am nit worried about hard drive failure because it is unlikely that your cimouter and your hard drive would both break at the same time. However if you are being ultra careful, then you can get a hard drive which you store off site and back it up periodically.

All of the data that I use like contacts etc is stored on iCloud and is synced in all my devices automatically.