We all know data is the next oil. Sometimes, data can be more valuable than the laptop itself. The data loss can happen due to multiple factors that include power outages, security breaches, accidental deletions, and physical damage. The data can be in any form. It can be an image, a video, a document, or a confidential file. Losing any of these data compromises your personal identity, your bank details, your family history, and even affects your business.
What is a data backup?
Data backup is the process of copying all the important files on your laptop to another laptop, an external device, or the cloud. The backed-up data can be restored from another device or the cloud in the event of data loss. Though storing data on an external device acts as a backup, the stored device is still vulnerable to all forms of ransomware attacks. It is better to backup the data to the cloud, which stores the information in a separate location from the original device.
What is the importance of laptop data backup?
- As per the data, 29% of the data losses are caused by accident, and 30% of all computers are already infected with malware.
- 21 percent of laptop users have never made a backup.
- Having a proper data backup increases confidence in the company’s data security during malicious attacks.
- By backing up the necessary data, an individual or a company is one step ahead of malware attacks and cyber threats.
- Cyber threats aren’t the only reason for data loss. Laptop wear and tear, theft, and physical damage are all possibilities.
Backup storage options
- Cloud storage
- External hard drive
- USB flash drives
- Hardware appliances
- Backup software
- Windows backup
Windows backup
Windows backup is a built-in utility tool in Windows.This tool lets you backup your files, operating system, and its settings. By default, the backup is done automatically on a scheduled basis. It can be done manually too. To access Windows backup, click Start > Settings > Accounts > Windows Backup. Turn on one drive folder to start a backup. Turn on “remember my apps” and “remember my preferences.” By turning on these two, Windows will remember the apps that you had installed on the previous laptop. All the information will be stored in the cloud.
To backup all the data to the external drive, connect the external hard drive. Go to the control panel and select “System and Security.” Click “backup and restore.” Select “create system image” at the bottom left of the navigation pane. Select the hard disc option and follow the instructions.
External hard drive
External hard drive backup storage is one of the most preferred backup storage options. The external hard drives are available from 128GB to 10TB. The external hard drives are portable, compact, and easy to use. Connect the USB cable to the external hard drive and copy the individual files or folders.In the event of data loss on the source device, the information can be retrieved from the external hard drive. The external storage device also includes USB flash drives and solid-state drives. External hard drives and SSDs are capable of storing larger files.
USB flash drives
USB flash drives and DVDs are similar to external hard drives. The difference is that USB flash drives offer only smaller storage space. USB flash drives can be directly plugged into the laptop’s USB port to copy the files. USB flash drives have a maximum storage space of up to 256 GB. The downside of USB flash drives is that they don’t have any additional security features. Also, the USB flash drives are prone to accidental deletion and theft. This laptop backup method is suitable only if the file size is smaller.
Cloud storage
Cloud storage is a method of storing your data in the cloud. Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive are the prime examples of cloud storage. Cloud storage provides two options. It offers storage space as well as the ability to share the backup files from the connected device.To backup your files from the laptop to the cloud, select a cloud storage provider and select the storage space.
Hardware appliances
a backup appliance, often referred to as a purpose-built backup appliance (PBBA). There are many vendors who supply hardware backup devices with large storage spaces. The hardware device is pre-installed with storage drives, a network interface, and backup management software. The backup hardware appliance connects to the devices via a local or organization network and stores the backup data in the device.The hardware appliance can be connected to the cloud. The advantage of this storage option compared to others is that it offers data security by restricting unauthorized devices.
Backup softwares
Backup software lets you backup documents, files, or a computer as a whole and enables you to restore it later in the event of cyber attacks, accidental deletion, and corruption. The backup software is available for both Windows and Mac computers.The integrated backup software backups the information periodically or on a scheduled basis. The backup software then transmits the data to the cloud. The backup software is also capable of compressing the data to save storage space. Backup software provides better security, and the data can be accessed anywhere, anytime.
What data needs to be backed up?
When it comes to backing up personal data, critical files like images, videos, documents, and bank account details should be backed up. In the case of business information, back up the files and projects that can’t be easily replaced. The data can be customer information, a financial database, or a company’s business plan. Some of the important data includes
- Personnel data
- Financial information
- Business administration documents
- Property and tax records
- Computer system files
Follow the 3-2-1 backup strategy.
This strategy means three copies of data are created on two different storage options. One copy should be stored remotely. The “remote” here means the cloud. For instance, two different storage units indicate one copy on the external hard drive and another on the USB flash drive. It increased the chances of restoring the data during disasters.
