Now You Can Sleep at Night: 7 Steps to Complete Computer Backup for any Computer Novice
Have you ever lost your car keys? A valuable item? Your cell phone? Panic sets in immediately and you search everywhere to find these items of such importance to you. Most of the time, you’re lucky enough to get these items back. Maybe the keys were under the bed….maybe the valuable item got misplaced….maybe the cell phone was left in a restaurant…..but what do you do when you lose files and/or data on your computer? Many times these items cannot be retrieved/found. This article will give you 7 steps to avoid a catastrophe BEFORE it happens to you.
STEP 1: What Types of Files to BackupYou need to know what types of data you are backing up. This means what types of files, such as .doc, .pdf, mpeg, mp3, .xls, etc. If you have databases (.dbf, .db) running you may have additional backup requirements to backup locked or open files. Here’s a tip: backup all of your installation programs for the software that you use (even OS) including files with the License/Activation Key information. If you are going to restore to a new computer, rather than your existing one, this will come in handy because a complete restore, including OS and programs, likely won’t work on a new OS and computer. If software is downloadable, then just store the License/Activation Key information. In addition, you make sure you have a repair/restore disk for your computer. STEP 2: Where Are the Files/Data You Want to Backup?Do you have stuff on external hard drives that needs backed up? How about your iPhone or synced files from your PDA? What about your secure, high priority or critical information that is changing regularly — are you going to want to backup each version? I suggest you make a list of all the different types of data and devices you wish to backup. You may find more there then you originally thought. STEP 3: What Gets Backed Up Where?Make a plan or road map for what gets backed up and where. Start by identifying the hardware and software you will need to complete your backup plan/strategy. The piecemeal hardware and software method works fine. Local hardware backup is usually the first line of defense. This will require a backup scheduler (like Windows Computer Backup) and likely some type of external media like a large external hard drive (or much more painfully CD’s), but do you really want to store your secure files and current work on a media that could get stolen or damaged? We suggest USB Flash drives/Thumb drives (which you can password protect with a little extra work) for the financial, Software License Info and password information and store this data in a safe place like a fire proof safe, or better yet a Safe Deposit Box at the bank. You will want this information restored quickly if necessary, since it may be required for downloading and re-installing software, or logging into your online accounts. |
STEP 4: Setup Your Automated Computer Backup to External Media SourcesMy basic documents, videos, pictures, music, websites and old code go to a shared terabyte hard drive two times a week (then to an online backup service). My important files that I may need quickly (and security files like passwords) or software license keys end up on a 16GB Flash Drive weekly which I store in a secure place. STEP 5: Move Your Main External Backups OffsiteBackups won’t do you any good if you get robbed or they get damaged in a fire or flood. Do you really want to be taking regular trips with your CD’s or external drives to a secure offsite backup location? Maybe for a business this makes sense, but for individuals this will be way too much work (not get done), and requires a system to make sure it gets done on a schedule to coincide with your automated computer backup schedule. Of course you can go this route, but this is where online data backup and storage comes to the rescue. The hardware method of backup works fine, but I never really felt comfortable with my backup plan until I added online backup and storage (really takes the time and hassle out of offsite storage). STEP 6: Choose an Online Backup/Storage Service that is Right for Your NeedsThis is where you need to visit The Online Backup Guru (http://www.theonlinebackupguru.com/newsletter/) to assist you in choosing the appropriate online data and storage service(s) that will make your life easy. I use a syncing service (SugarSync which has a Mac Client and iPhone access) for document folders and code folders (files that get changed frequently) for constant instant backup, and scheduled computer backup services for our bigger static stuff like videos, music and pictures (iDrive, Mozy, Carbonite). Here’s a tip: If you don’t want the hassle of Steps 2, 3, 4, and 5 you can do all of them using the appropriate online data backup and storage service in Step 6, except maybe the secure info like passwords. |
STEP 7: Test Your Computer Backup Plan by Doing a Partial Restore from ALL Sources
All the work to backup won’t be any good if you can’t restore. A full restore is always a challenge, and will take significant time and patience, but believe me it is well worth it when you consider that you could really literally loose everything: all your work, pictures, family videos, documents, financial information. Think about the time you would need to replace all that. I suggest that you do a simple practice run restoring partial data from each or your backup source (CD’s, FlashDrives, External Drives, and Online Backups). I have tested restore from external sources (much quicker) and my remote backup services (although not a quick way to restore they all restored successfully also), so finally I feel like I can rest well at night without worry of data loss.
Now I suggest you review your hardware and data and take the time to create a computer backup plan for yourself, and review and educate yourself on the best backup techniques, hardware, software and online backup solutions for safely storing your most precious asset. Final words of advice: Back up your computer regularly – you’ll sleep much better at night. And you can use those extra zzz’s to dream of where you left the critical report that’s due in the morning.
