If you've ever lost data due to equipment malfunction, human error, or some other cause, you may have experienced dizziness, a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, and other panic symptoms.
In business, data loss means at the very least a reduction in productivity, as valuable time must be spent recreating lost files. In some cases, it may create more serious problems, such as a failure to meet client deadlines, leading to a loss of income or potential lawsuit.
Although less critical, lost data also has implications for the home user, who often stores digital photographs, family recipes, and household budget and tax figures on his or her computer, as well as other information that may be difficult or even impossible to replace.
Fortunately, with a backup system in place, you will be able restore most, if not all, of your information in the event that you are faced with a computer disaster.
Before you begin, you will need to make a list of fil es that can't easily be replaced. This will vary from person to person and from business to business, but may include any or all of the following:
Bank records and other financial information Digital photographs and/or videos Software you purchased and downloaded from the Internet Business and personal documents and projects E-mail, address book, and calendar Internet bookmarks / favorites
You may also wish to make a complete copy of your operating system, device drivers, applications, and utilities. If you don't have all the original disks for your software and operating system, this step is crucial. Otherwise, you will have the option of reinstalling everything from scratch, but keep in mind that you will lose any customized settings you may have created, including user dictionaries.
The days when you could back up your data on floppy disks are long gone, and even a CD may not be large enough to hold all of your important documents, especially if you have a lot of digital photographs or other large media files. As new products and services are introduced every week, this article will not attempt to describe them in detail, but current backup technologies include external hard drives, tape drives, USB flash drives, DVDs, and online storage systems.
Considerations when choosing a backup system include the follow ing:
Location - Ideally, your backup files should not be stored in the same building as your computer, as you risk losing both copies in the event of a fire or other disaster. Portability - If your backup isn't offsite, it's much easier to grab a USB flash drive or DVD during an evacuation than to try and disconnect your entire computer and take it with you. Ease of Use - Automated systems can be much easier to operate, and can be programmed to run automatically, so you don't need to remember to do it. Cost - Be sure to factor in the value of the time involved with manually selecting the files you wish to back up (as opposed to using an automated system) as well as the time needed to deliver storage devices to an offsite location. Number and Size of Files - There's no point spending money on an expensive online service or external hard drive if you only have a few important files. On the other hand, if you will need several CDs or DVDs to backup your system, another option would be more practical.
You might find that a combination of systems works best for you. For example, you might choose to create a full system backup every few months which is stored off site, and to back up your daily or weekly work to a CD or USB flash drive.
You should test your backup to make sure that you can restore the files whenever you need to. You should also try opening the files on a different computer than the one they came from, in case you need to copy them to a new system.
Whatever system you choose, it's essential that you create and stick to a regular backup schedule. If you back up your system today and your system crashes six months from now, although you'll be a little better off than if you had no backup at all, you'll be kicking yourself for not taking the time to stay on top of it.
When you consider the implications of losing valuable data, the value of implementing a backup strategy for your office or home computer far exceeds the time and effort required.
Janet Barclay, Organized Assistant, offers a variety of professional quality services to support entrepreneurs and other individuals who are overwhelmed by the demands and technology of the 21st century. For further information, please visit her website at http://www.organizedassistant.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment