Preventing data loss and how to create an effective online backup plan is something that every business and individual should know.
The truth is, there is not one person with access to a computer that has not lost data at some point or another.
Maybe it was as simple as deleting the wrong file or even the dreaded component failure that was influential in losing your data; no matter what caused the problem it does happen to everyone.
Hard drives and processors fail, not to mention the intrusions of destructive viruses that eat away your data without your knowledge before your protection program detects them.
For these reasons it is imperative to have a course of action in place and a plan that not only guarantees a safe backup but also a secure and functional one.
It is never recommended to use only one source and make a hard copy backup or count on an external drive to maintain your backups.
The fact is that most hard copies do not adequately backup your data and some files may be corrupted from the burning process.
While an external storage device is a good idea it is also prone to failure.
You should always have multiple backups and a great option is using an online source for your primary backup with external drives or hard copies.
Now in order to effectively protect your data you need to back up data regularly, preferably daily.
Making a backup CD or DVD is a quick way to store data however the disks sustain damage over time and should not be counted on for primary backup storage.
There are several online sources which offer free private storage as well as paid accounts that are quite reasonable and these should be your first choice for your master backups.
Before choosing an online backup source pay close attention to what is offered.
In some cases you may be offered a tremendous amount of storage space however they may not guarantee that against failure on their end.
Some will promise secure storage but the space allowed will be significantly less.
You want your backups to be secure and available if needed.
You do have choices including purchasing space that will not only guarantee the safety of your data but also faster transfer times which are a huge plus.
Businesses lose thousands of dollars per year because up data loss so the costs are easily justified.
The same holds true for individuals backing up data when you consider your financial records, legal documents, and in some cases medical correspondence are now electronic and unsafe in one place.
Online backups are a great choice for the primary storage of your important data.
At the end of the day simply upload your data, make a quick secondary back-up to a disk or external drive and rest assured that you know have secured and protected your data for a day when problems arise.
It is not difficult to manage backups as it is simply a few clicks of your mouse.
Store those secondary hard copies in a safe place where damage will be minimal and above all else, verify the data is not corrupted.
Finally make an online backup to the storage site of your choosing that ensures you that your data is safe and secure.
You should do this daily if you are business and weekly if you are an individual, however if you are working on important data and cannot risk a chance at loss you should also backup your data daily.
With the electronic age and our dependence on computers to make our lives easier we just cannot trust our PC's to safely protect our information.
Mechanical failure occurs frequently so protect yourself by preventing data loss with effective online backup plan immediately, you won't regret it.