Running consistent backups is probably one of the most annoying yet most crucial parts of owning a computer. Without a recent backup, you risk losing important data. A computer dying could spell disaster if the data hadn’t been backed up. This is especially true in a business setting where data plays crucial roles. Hopefully this post will provide you with some options to make sure that your data won’t be lost. A good backup is also the only way to effectively defend against ransomware.
There are several ways to back up your data. The first is to backup data to an external drive. This is a simple and cheap way to start backing up data. 1 terabyte external hard drives offer more than enough storage for most users and are inexpensive. The average 1 terabyte external drive from Western Digital is usually less than $100. Most of these drives will come with software to assist in the back up process. Windows itself even has a few options for running backups to an external drive. External drives can also be susceptible to ransomware attacks if they are plugged into the infected computer.
Another way of backing up important data is to use a form of cloud storage. Google drive, OneDrive, Drobox, and iCloud are all great options. These solutions upload all the files in a specific folder to a remote server. Cloud storage has the advantage over using physical storage in that it is highly available. You can access your cloud storage from any internet enabled computer in the world using your login information. Cloud storage can get a little pricy. Most cloud storage providers allow a certain amount of free storage but once the limit is reached you must pay extra for more.
One of the best backup solutions out there is Carbonite. Carbonite is a cloud based backup. It works like most backup solutions, with the main difference being that instead of backing up a single folder on your computer, it backs up everything. It backs up photos, settings, music, emails and more. If you opt for the “plus” it can even be configured to back up to an external drive. The best part about Carbonite is that at $59.99 per year they offer unlimited storage for one computer.
If you are interested in trying Carbonite, you can go here and sign up for a 15 day, risk free trial, no credit card required. By using the link we provide, it actually registers you as our customer so we can provide support. If your backup needs are more business related, there other solutions that would work better then Carbonite. Just give us a call if you need assistance with business related back ups. If you are having trouble setting up Carbonite itself, contact us via email or phone and we would be glad to help.