Backing up your data is a critical part of how you protect yourself and others from the potential loss of sensitive data you may have stored in various digital devices or on-premises servers running on hardware that isn’t regularly updated, such as hard drives, cloud storage, removable storage, file systems, backups, etc. This article will explain why it’s important to back up your data, how to do so safely, and how to protect your system to make sure it retains its integrity when you need it most. Useful links are provided at the bottom of this article: 1 — Protect Yourself With Two Key Policies: 2 — How To Choose The Right File System For Storage 3 — What Is The Difference Between Hard And Cloud Drives 4 — Five Different Types Of Backup Methods 5 — Best Practices for Using Various Options, Including Scenarios 6 — Backup Software 7 — Hardware Documentation 8 — Network Configuration 9 — Server Management 10 — Remote Access 11 — Password Security 12 — Recovery Time Value Index 13 — Database Design 14 — Linguistics 15)
Backing Up Your Data
A backup copy of your personal computer’s files can be used to restore lost important data if the original copies are no longer available to perform their intended function. A typical example of a situation where a backup solution is required is when an employee loses their laptop or desktop but has no way to access it on a physical device as they left it lying around unused for some time. In some cases, employees might not even realize that important documents or programs were backed up as a separate copy before sending them off. This information can still be recovered by restoring backups on another machine with the proper equipment at hand. It is a good practice to back up your most valuable files (such as photographs and other pictures) before saving them to a cloud service provider or local drive. When you use these services, you won’t lose any stored information until you shut down the account and transfer the files to a new location. However, keep in mind that there are many different types of backup solutions out there, each with its own pros and cons. One of the biggest benefits of backing up your data over the internet rather than locally in a single computer is the speed that can be achieved. By taking advantage of online connections and connecting across multiple computers, you can move and share backups faster than if you were storing them locally in one place. Another benefit is that it reduces hardware maintenance costs, which are typically associated with using physical hard drives. These days, many people choose to store their backups online by installing applications that automatically create backups for them when they use one or more online platforms, including Dropbox, Google Drive and Microsoft Outlook. Some companies may also allow employees access to their work-related email accounts from anywhere in the world via instant messaging services like WhatsApp, Telegram or Facebook Messenger. If your employer allows remote access to those communications, it is wise to consider having your company set up two backup email addresses for secure access to work-related emails while onsite at your office. There are several tools available that provide assistance on creating passwordless backups and exporting online backups offline (i.e., without downloading). If you want to manage your own backup processes, look into apps such as DropBox or Gmail. They provide users with the ability to back up their mail, photos, contacts and calendar activity. For those who prefer a more streamlined process, a free tool called CopyCat is useful for setting up automated backups. At the end of each month, this app creates automatic backups of your inboxes. However, you can choose to manually create manual backups on a weekly or monthly basis, or automate these processes via specific actions within the app. An excellent example of this would be turning a saved document into a PDF with a simple action such as clicking “Save As” on the right-hand side bar. Also, note that it’s important to save all your important data as well as your non-critical data. While keeping files and folders and making selections is key, try not to delete anything that was never meant to be deleted. Instead, take time to review what was removed, how often it was removed and how long it took to retrieve the item. Try to assess whether there was a better alternative for the same item in your current collection before deleting it. Once you’ve determined that items are no longer useful, either permanently delete, or move them off your list and onto something else. Before you attempt to delete something from your own list, take a moment to think about why this particular item was taken away in the first place. Was it an important reason it had been added to the collection? Did someone leave it lying around accidentally? Were there circumstances that led to you needing it to get things done? Do you really need it and do you need to make room in your schedule for finding an alternative or purchasing a new physical hard drive if you already use one? Don’t feel that you must immediately erase everything if you don’t need it. Take a few moments to assess whether you can put the item aside. If you decide it does not no longer have a legitimate purpose, then it should disappear from view. It’s likely that once you’ve determined that a particular item is no longer needed, you will want to move it accordingly. Check out my Free eBook, Digital Preservation 101, for further details on steps to properly manage your organization’s legacy data and technology assets.
How To Troubleshoot Computer Problems From Lost Files
If you have ever attempted to open an unwanted folder on your computer after losing it, please understand that this is something you probably shouldn’t overlook. Even though the file may have been deleted, it might still be hiding somewhere in your computer memory. Perhaps in subfolder or hidden files or directory areas of your computer. There are four common reasons for lost files being found and recovering:
There was a power surge during last year’s holiday season. Maybe your computer had become overloaded. Perhaps the computer suddenly went dead. Or perhaps certain software and features have crashed, leaving users unable to access them.
How To Ensure That All Important Documents Get Backed
You should always back up all important documents. Yes, you probably forgot that report card was due the day after it was due. But even if you don’t remember anything related to the important thing, simply doing a quick search on the topic can help ensure that someone takes the necessary steps to contact whoever wrote the important piece. Not only is it likely that those individuals who handle the paperwork know whom to contact, but it becomes crucial to know exactly who needs the information. So, let’s examine how to find this valuable resource.
Backup Programs and Search Tools
The easiest method to search for important documentation is to use third party tools. One very popular option is OpenOffice. For Windows users, Ubuntu users can install Libre Office 365 and/or Xfce LibreOffice Desktop. Linux users can install Thunderbird, Nautilus or Gnome LibreOffice Desktop. Depending on the version of Libre Office installed on your operating system, you can also search through old versions of these tools by accessing any number of sites that sell them. Here is a handy walkthrough guide on transferring old drafts to newer formats as well as performing searches.
Backup Devices
It’s easy to forget that old laptops and desktops contain information that could be vital to identifying the person who sent them to shred. Just as important as the old USB flash drive with the photo of your family dog, pen drives and CDs are also essential pieces of evidence and can serve as powerful leads. Since we don’t remember every single object that makes us happy, and sometimes certain small objects can be just too small to remember if they weren’t in our hands, it helps to save the originals in digital form and print them out. If you’re able to locate the owner and send them some sort of apology card, their records will prove that you remembered them, even if it doesn’t seem like it was necessary to mention them or apologize. Simply mailing the photo to them can go a long way in helping to establish a positive relationship between you and the receiver and hopefully lead to an exchange of kind notes or gift cards. Note that depending on the individual you’re dealing with, it might be helpful to forward the receipt as a way to send a greeting card as well. On the other hand, if it comes from someone you never met in real life and they are the one receiving the bad news, then you might want to skip this step. Be aware if you don’t want to run anything along the lines of “I hope you got over this” or “I am sorry” because your feelings might be hurt by a direct message. Keep in mind that you don’t want anyone to worry, blame or treat you poorly if they receive this letter. Unless the recipient explicitly asks them to, if they receive a rejection reply, they will become agitated and feel hurt and angry about the whole situation. If you are looking for a less formal way to send off an invoice: Ask yourself if this seems like a more appropriate choice as opposed to a thank-you card, since you aren’t offering anything gratuitous.
How To Avoid Distorting Information About Passwords
If you are concerned about passwords, follow these tips:
Don’t use words such as ‘password’ or ‘keyword’ but instead change it to something like ‘password’ or ‘keyword.’
Be wary of using numbers such as a ‘1’ or an ‘a.’ Instead, type a phrase or two. Remember that numbers are an effective distraction. A good rule of thumb is: Use a combination of upper and lowercase letters: ‘password’ or ‘keyword’ + ‘a’ + ‘1’ = ‘password.’
Use common phrases, even ones you should avoid like ‘your login password’. Make them memorable
