Backup - Have It Your Way

A Backup Article Contributed by Melissa Larose

Backup - Have It Your Way

Backup today, tomorrow, next week, or never, the choice is yours. In order to make that choice there are some basic questions to consider. Take a look at these critical questions before you decide how and when you backup your data.

To Backup or Not to Backup

Stop and think for a moment about what you might do if suddenly your PC were gone. Yes, gone, as in vanished, destroyed, stolen or whatever scenario you wish to conjure. What would you do? Or better yet, what would you miss the most? What would you have to duplicate? I mean absolutely duplicate as in what records and data would you wish you had subjected to a backup routine and could at least pop into a new computer or at best a borrowed computer?

If you are a small business owner your stakes may be much higher than just email, internet favorites and shopping lists. You may be wishing that you had a backup up process in place because now all of your invoices, your mailing list, catalogs, financial records, etc. are missing.

If you have an Internet presence your business is now suffering because there is no way to retrieve from a previous data backup because there is no backup.

Why Backup?

Retrieving data quickly without damage to the data is what a backup is all about. Losing data can happen in a myriad of ways. Mother nature can surely do a great deal of damage causing loss through storms and downed power lines. But the number one most common loss of data is through hardware failure.

Disk failure accounts for most data mishaps. Backup data stored on a hard drive at another location can also be lost. If a loss like this can cause business failure or revenue loss, a backup plan should be at the top of your to do list. Hard drive losses are a regular part of computer maintenance and repair. Backup routines should be as well.

Backup This

If the effort to backup data seems to outweigh the need for a backup, stop reading this. You must have far too much time on your hands and much too much extra money floating around.

If the data you are concerned with is your livelihood then backup your data at least once a month. If you update items regularly then backup your data weekly. And if you are in constant contact with your customers and handle their data you may want to backup daily.

Some companies may find that they are better served to purchase backup software that will backup data hourly, sometimes by the minute. Remember, you can only restore data to the last backup. If you are providing timely updates of customer information, this may warrant the added expense of state of the art backup software.

Everyone has their own way to backup their data. And everyone should consider the full extent of their backup needs when planning a backup routine. Don't be caught without your data.