Everybody knows they need to back up their computer files, but few of us actually do it regularly. There are so many options to back up data that it can seem impossible to choose one, or we think that the process will be so difficult or time-consuming that we keep putting it off. But in fact, there are lots of easy solutions. This article will help you understand some of the best ways to back up files on your Mac or PC.
Hardware
The most obvious way to save copies of your files is on a separate storage device. This could be a USB drive or a disk, but the best option is probably an external hard drive. These are easy to buy and they offer the most amount of storage. The important thing to remember is that your external storage needs to be kept at a different place than your main computer. That way there is no danger of losing your storage device in the case of a fire or theft, or a malfunction that affects the device as well as the computer.
One problem with saving files this way is that you need to physically copy the files from the computer to the device on a regular basis. This is inconvenient, so many people will put off backing up their files regularly. And even if you have backed up your files recently, in the event of a crash you will lose whatever new work you have created since then.
Cloud Storage
Backing up to external storage is a good way of saving files for the long term, but for ongoing back-up of your Mac or PC, it is a good idea to set up an automated system. The best way to do this is to store data on internet servers that are independent of your machine. This is known as cloud computing. In recent years, new services and technology have made it easy for home users to back up their files to cloud storage.
There are many online companies that can your computer fully backed up to the cloud for affordable fees. Another easy way to back up selected files online is by using a storage service such as Dropbox. This lets you create a special folder on one or more computers in which every file is automatically backed up and saved. You can then access your files from any location over the Internet, and have peace of mind that your most important data is safe.
Featured images: License: Creative Commons image source
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Thanks to James Ferry for this post. James is from netstar.co.uk – a UK based IT support company.
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