Happy New Year! Let’s see if we can start off the year with something invaluable.
Backing up your data is not something that is at the top of your list, but it should be. It’s something you know you should do but you may pass it off as an optional task that can always be done later. Here are five reasons why you should start backing up your files and what you can do to start backing up your data in minutes.
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Recreating what you’ve lost
Without a backup system you may have to re-enter all of the data because your files have gone corrupt. Having a backup solution means less headaches and the potential to be ready for that next opportunity.
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Viruses and Trojans are on the rise
With roughly 10-25 new computer viruses discovered per month, it becomes almost impossible to protect data with an antivirus alone. It is always great to have a plan B (your backup solution) so in the event of data loss, you’re not faced with a catastrophe.
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Data recovery is expensive
If your hard drive fails (it happens more often than we’d like to think), data recovery services can run in the hundreds of thousands. By having a backup solution, you lessen your expenses by having your own means of recovering your data.
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Storage is cheap
If you opt for on-site backup (on your premises), there are external drives that cost a few cents per GB. However, on-site backups shouldn’t be your only solution as they do not protect your data in the event of a flood or fire (which brings me to reason number 5).
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There are free or low cost online backup services
Sometimes having an on-site backup is the first step but it may not be enough. Fires, floods and even theft can thwart your efforts to backup your data. By having your data stored at a secure, online backup service, you can give yourself some confidence that you have another option in the unfortunate event that either of the above occurs.
Having a backup solution is critical for survival in a technology era. Computers failing, hitting that delete button accidentally and nature’s unpredictability are all reasons to consider a backup, and with viruses on the rise and the decrease in the cost to backup your data, why not start now?
Do you have any stories to tell us? Leave a comment below.
Jerome Carty is Systems Specialist at Integrated Data Technology. His expertise is in web, desktop and mobile application development.