In a ritual akin to spring cleaning, computer users far and wide are backing up their data en masse. Although backing up your vital data is a wise idea to prevent the loss of important documents during crashes or even computer theft, it often goes undone.
By the end of the year, however, an amazing amount of data would have been stored which may slow computers’ performance. This is a silent reminder to clean out the cobwebs and back up the files you want to keep.
There are various ways to back up your data, and one is readily available right on your PC. Windows users can access backup tools by pressing the Start button, typing “backup” in the search area, then clicking “Backup and Restore.”
This allows users to back up files instantly. Similarly, Mac users can open the System Preferences menu and select Time Machine. It will promptly perform backup tasks with the selection of the appropriate disk to store the files.
However, the aforementioned tools on your PC or Mac, don’t address more complex situations where your computer may be completely damaged or lost.
Therefore, it is also advisable to back up important documents, such as financial records or critical documents or emails, on a separate device.
If you depend solely on your computer’s backup system, your backed up data is vulnerable to the same threats that can damage the whole computer.
There are various data storage solutions on the market. The more expensive ones offer extra features, but the main factor to consider is the data storage size that you will need to have on the device.
Alternatively, simply upload your most important data to cloud storage, which can also be automated for future backups.
Other computer users prefer to back up data on an external USB device and keep it in a safe place.
It would also be best to automate your backups based on a recurring schedule that takes into consideration the particular files/folders that change often and/or are the most critical and include them in the backup set.
If you require assistance in figuring out the most appropriate automated backup solution for your home or business, give us a call at (734) 457-5000 and one of our technicians will be glad to help.