On Backing up

[dropcap2]A[/dropcap2]bout twice a week a customer comes in with a computer or a hard disk that has failed. Usually this tends to occur with older hard disks, but sometimes newer ones also. A failed hard disk is when files can no longer be read, and a professional is required to see if the data can be recovered.

Sometimes data is fully recoverable. Sometimes it is not.

In some cases, people are extremely upset because the disk contains photos, business documents or other precious personal data.

Yesterday I saw a customer who had a tragic family loss last year, and was beside himself that he would lose his photos. This experience prompted me to write this brief article as a reminder to always back up data.

If your data is in only one location (for example a single computer or hard disk) it is vulnerable to loss. When the hard disk fails (I say “when” because all hard disks have a limited life span) the data that is stored on it can be at critical risk.

If you care about what is stored on your computer, always back it up to at least one separate disk (external hard drive, dvd’s)

At this point, if the two copies are stored in your house or place of business, the data is still vulnerable to theft or fire. For this reason, the best approach is to have at least one off-site backup as well.

Backups can be automated. The advantage to automatic backups, is that there is no risk of forgetting to back-up and therefore less chance of losing recent data if something goes wrong with one of the copies.

WSCR can assist with this process. Please phone to find out more about our free systems to automate your backups and protect your data.

This is a quick, simple and inexpensive process to set up. If you have any doubts about your existing backup system, now may be a good time to review your practices to ensure your precious memories and business records are safe from loss.