IT Tips for Everyone - Backup Solutions Overview

Imagine this: You have just spent hours, meticulously editing photos to prepare them for a family album.  Every image is perfected; their colors adjusted, the white balance corrected, and those pesky photo bombers are cropped out. Then, all of a sudden, your computer freezes!  Having seen a frozen computer before, you press the power button to turn it off.  You reach for the power button to turn it back on, hoping that you had saved that last picture you were working on.  The machine begins to whir, and you hear a strange clicking sound, not unlike a metronome and its click…click…click.  There’s a loud BEEP, and on the screen you see “Primary hard disk 0 not found.”  It’s far worse than you had imagined; you have lost days, possibly decades of memories…some of which, you will never have a chance to capture again.

Internal Components of a Hard Drive

The above scenario is one of the most commonly faced issues brought before IT workers worldwide.  One that leaves frantic users/customers asking if ANYTHING can be rescued from their broken hard drive, only to be left disappointed by the answer of “no.”  Yes, there are data recovery companies that could rescue your files, but they charge a premium for such services.  You can easily avoid all of this heartache (or cost) by simply keeping copies of your important things on something other than your computer.  Below are a few simple ideas on where you can keep copies of your photos or important documents safe. 

Some backup storage options are: 

• Cloud Storage
• Devices that Connect Directly to your Computer (USB Flash Drives and External Hard Drives)
• Network Attached Storage

Read below for more details of each of these categories.

Cloud Storage

Cloud Storage

Cloud storage is an internet accessible file storage location… think of it like a safety deposit box for your computer.  You can store your important files such as documents and pictures and access them wherever you are (if there’s an internet connection).  These services have become increasingly popular with their ease of use coupled with a low price point.  Pricing varies depending on your needs, and some even have free storage space available.  One advantage of using a cloud storage service is the files you place on their servers are routinely backed up, and not located in your home or office.  If you keep your files on disks locally (at your home or business) they risk being destroyed in natural disasters or other means such as fires or theft.  They also are accessible on mobile devices and can be accessed on the go for those impromptu moments of showing off a child to relatives.  No need to worry about security either, the top cloud storage companies (OneDrive, Amazon, Dropbox) have excellent track records.

Devices that Connect Directly to your Computer

Computer and USB Cable

External drives are an easy way to keep a copy of anything important.  Most USB drives are portable, so you can take your data with you.  The downside to this is a computer is normally needed to access the data stored.  External drives are less convenient than a cloud storage service as if you want redundancies; you have to copy the files you want to store to multiple drives.  Software is available to help with automatically syncing files from your desktop to an external drive; some manufacturers even send software as a supplement to the drive when you purchase it.  External drives come in two flavors, a USB Flash Drive or a larger external hard drive.

A Flash Drive for Any Taste

USB Flash Drives

USB Flash Drives are small devices that come in many shapes and sizes to fit any need.  Some even fit on your key chain.  They even come in fun shapes like a rubber duck or a ninja.  They don’t have as much storage space as the next item on this list, but are cheap and can get the job done.  You can even load them up with photos and hand out at the next family gathering! These are also ideal for making multiple backups of important items to store at a family member’s house or in a safety deposit box.  

Seagate External Drive

External Hard Drives

External Hard Drives are devices just like what’s inside your computer now, only plugged into it in a different way.  They vary in size, but are cheaper if you need a large amount of space, than a standard USB Flash Drive.  Most often they use a USB cable to plug into a computer, and are mildly portable (they are physically larger than flash drives and some even need a power cable plugged into the wall)

Network Storage Devices

Synology NAS

Network Attached Storage (NAS for short) devices are specifically designed to stand alone, plugged into your network to give you a place to store your things. NAS Devices connect directly to your network either via a network cable or over your wireless connection.  They cost a bit, but have the advantage of not needing to have something constantly connected to your computer.  Most work much like a cloud service of your own, allowing you to automatically sync your computer to the device, keeping things always up to date.  Be aware that some of these don’t come with disks already installed in them and you will have to purchase the disk drives to go in them.  The product listing will say something similar to “diskless” or “no drives included.”

Additional Note: You can also leverage the resources of another computer by sharing a folder on it.  This, however, is a bit more complicated to set up.  If you have zero budget, this can work in a pinch...but it does require keeping a second computer on constantly; not sleeping or hibernating (which may use more electricity).

Final thoughts:

Backing up your important data is essential to keep you from losing it.  There are a few methods of backing up your things, and you may need to test the waters with each to find out which one will work best for you…and your budget.  Whether you decide to use a cloud storage service, an external drive, or a NAS, you have to make it as easy as possible, or it might be tough to remember to back up (which will leave you in the same boat as not having a storage method).

This is the first in a series of posts about backing up your data.  There will be future posts regarding methods of using the devices outline above.  Stay tuned!

References/Links:
Synology NAS Official Website
USBGeek - A Smorgasbord of USB Flash Drives