Backups are an important part of our digital life but they can be intimidating also.  Whether you are backing up your business files or backing up your home computer, deciding what to backup, how often to back it up and where to store the data can be overwhelming. Ultimately the answers are similar for both scenarios. Taking a few minutes to actually think about what you are backing up and where you will store it can save you time and money.

 

When individual users ask me what to backup, my answer is simple:  "If you'd cry if you lost it, back it up." A similar principle is applied to business backups.  If the loss of the data is going to impact your productivity, you need to back it up.  

 

While many decision makers jump immediately to "okay, back it all up" this isn't usually the most cost-effective solution.  Storage is much cheaper than it was a decade ago, however backups (duplicates or even triplicates) can quickly take up a lot of storage. Taking the time to actually consider what you'll be backing up can save time (how long will it take to backup?) and money [how much will it cost to maintain the backups?]. While it would be convenient for your computer to instantly restore to a point in time, an extensive backup takes time to build. Such a full backup is not always the best solution especially if you anticipate having to do restores from time to time. Scheduling a planned backup is a more efficient solution.

 

Which Files Do I Backup?

Selecting the files you need to backup can be a simple process if your digital files are reasonably organized.  For instance, home users' files are most commonly stored in their user profile (My Documents, My Music, My Pictures and My Videos). Most Businesses employ a similar strategy with files stored in one or more shared locations.  You can typically target these locations for your backups and avoid folders with Windows and Program Files.  However there are some software programs ( Quickbooks, for example) that may store data in atypical locations.  Businesses may also need to make distinctions between "work product" (files the business creates) verses "customer data" (data to which the business has been provided that it is not responsible for maintaining).  If you are not positive where your data is stored or what specifically you should be backing up, it is always a good idea to consult with your IT professional when making backup selections.

 

How Do I Backup?

Once you have an idea of what you want to backup, you will need to determine the backup plan.  There are multiple choices available for people to use to create backups. 

 

For home users, Windows Backup is a simple backup program in Windows that will allow you to backup your computer on a schedule.  Mac computers come with Time Machine.  Many external drives also come with an included backup program or you can buy backup software such as Acronis.  You may also find a cloud storage solution works better for you. These include:  Google Drive, Microsoft One Drive or one of those featured in GetCloudStorage.

 

For businesses, the choice is more complicated.  Many options that are free for personal use do not allow a free license for businesses.  Additionally, businesses need to consider whether a product meets all of their backup needs.  For instance, is the backup software compatible with the database and email products on which your business depends?  If the business selects a cloud backup solution, does the cloud storage provider meet your privacy and confidentiality obligations?  Does your cyber insurance have specific requirements you need to meet for backups?  Does your choice allow you to keep a copy of your backup at another location in case of a site disaster?  Businesses are well advised to make sure their IT Department or IT Provider is involved in backup selection and planning.

 

How Often Do I Need to Backup?

Most backup software will guide you through setting a schedule for your backups.  The frequency with which you need to backup will depend largely on the choices you've made for backup storage and how critical the data is to you.  Other considerations include the amount of storage space available, its location and cost. Businesses may also have regulatory and/or procedural obligations to consider in their backup scheduling.  For home users, you may just need to make sure you have a secondary copy of important data (such as baby's first pictures).  For businesses,  cio.com advises a minimum of a 2+1 solution: two complete copies of your business data plus an additional copy at an off-site location.

 

Backups are a critical component to maintaining important data.  Whether protecting personal memories or business records, backups provide security and peace of mind.  It is important to develop a backup strategy that meets your needs.