3 Keys for How to Backup Your Computer Files

What It Takes to "Backup Files" on Your Computer. 


Back up your files -- we've all heard it. Some of us have even been "bitten" by it. This is just a reminder, from your friendly e-neighborhood infopreneur. Here is a description for how to back up your files, for the small business owner, and avoid a big "Oops!"

You will need three things: 

1. An external hard drive - preferably with slightly more GB than the total storage space on your computer. If you have more than one computer, or an office network, then calculate accordingly.
   External hard drives are relatively inexpensive.
   The cost of the hardware is certainly less than the lost time and revenues you would experience, if you lose your data or operating system.
   As of this writing, a 640 GB Seagate drive (Seagate is what I use) can be purchased in the U.S. for less than what I paid for a 250 GB version 2 years ago. 
2. Software to run the backup job AND help you to manage restoring files if you need to. Here's why: 
• You do not want to move files manually and babysit the process. That is a waste of your time and talents. Restoring numerous files manually, therefore, would be an equally painful and time-consuming process. 
• Whatever may have come pre-loaded on your computer when you bought it, is likely grossly inadequate. 
• Good backup software is worth its weight in gold. Case in point...
  I often use a Word Doc file as the pre-formatted template for the next iteration of a document. Usually I start with a SAVE-AS, but once in a blue moon, I forget and just start typing. Recently, I accidentally overwrote a file by doing a SAVE, thinking I'd already done the SAVE-AS. Oops! Fortunately, I had a backup. So, I simply retrieved it and re-overwrote the "lost" file -- after saving the new version with a different file name.
  What I use: StorageCraft's ShadowProtect Desktop version. This family of software mirrors your whole system, not just your files, and is very easy to use. 
3. A place to store your backup medium. i.e.: Take your external hard drive offsite, to a different location other than your office. If, God forbid, you have a disaster -- fire, flood, leaky roof, etc. -- your backup must be easy to get to and still intact. So, don't leave it in your desk drawer or next to your computer.
   I know of a case where a small firm had a fire that damaged or destroyed nearly everything in their office. Sure, they had insurance. The big problem was their backup plan, and backed up files, were left in the office administrator's desk. The consulting firm (not mine), who developed their disaster recovery process, had not stressed enough the importance of offsite storage. 
   

So there you have it. Just so you know, neither of the suppliers mentioned above is compensating me in any way for endorsing their products. They make my business life easier and I believe that yours should be easier, as well. 

I also suggest that you make clear who is responsible for the backup tasks. Post-disaster finger pointing and "I thought you did it" won't result in a good outcome. 
Happy Computing!  



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