Wise people are always prepared for the worst. That’s why we have the Svalbard Doomsday Vault, a seed bank containing the world’s most valued crops, because we must protect what we have. That’s pretty much the basic concept of data back up.
The world has come a long way in the past few decades in terms of technology.
Gone are the days of SLR cameras and printed photographs in albums. The use of paper and hard copies has become obsolete in majority of homes and offices. Everything is either on our laptops or mobile phones. Your child’s newborn pictures are so accessible all the time with just a thumb’s scroll. So are the memories of your much-anticipated and oh-so-deserving vacations last month. It’s so easy reminiscing about the good times when it is just a click away to revisit.
No matter how great the technology gets, there are glitches from time to time. Computers do crash. Phones do get lost or stolen. And just like that, your memories are gone. Irretrievable forever. Not a pretty sight to imagine, is it?
But thanks to technology, we have a solution for that as well.
BACK UP!
Basically, a back up is just a duplicate of your essential files stored somewhere else, whether it be pictures, documents, emails, songs, videos or whatever you deem too important to lose. The only difference is, this duplicate is saved on a separate device.
31st March is globally celebrated as World Backup Day.
So it is only fitting that we all initiate a data backup system on this particular day. The common perception is that it is a lot of hassle and takes up time, but what if I tell you it’s not? Backing up takes a negligible amount of time as compared to the benefits it offers. The process is very simple itself.
How to go about it then, one might ask? Well, there are two types of backup options available, external device and backing up online.
- EXTERNAL STORAGE DEVICE
The good thing about this kind of backup is that almost all the operating systems out there can automatically backup your data once specified. All you need is a storage device with enough space to accommodate all your data and voila! You shall be a carefree soul.
2. BACKING UP ONLINE
There are several options available for online data storage. Most common being: Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive and Amazon Cloud Drive. The good thing about these drives is the ability to access data from anywhere. It gives you freedom to travel without carrying your storage devices and still have all your files with you. They are also a good solution when you need to remotely share files. The only thing you need to consider is the amount of space allocated to save your data online. It normally is not too much but it is a significant amount nonetheless.
They say it is better to be safe than sorry. Well, they are right! It is always a good idea to be prepared. Nobody has ever regretted keeping a first aid kit at home because it always comes in handy when needed. Same is the case with backing up your data, it always pays off. So go ahead, celebrate the World Backup Day! With your data safe and secure, you shall have one less thing to worry about.
