Many of us set goals, tasks, and challenges to tackle in the new year. Cleaning out the spare room, getting in shape, living more efficiently or just doing more than we did last year. We set these goals to improve our lives and build on productivity, health, and organization in the future.
Resolutions to improve for the coming year are great ideas to aspire towards; whether cleaning your office, tidying your house, or taking control of your digital footprint. The problem for many is motivation can quickly fall away by the time February rolls around.
If you manage to achieve only one of your new year goals for this year, make it to put a good backup in place for your digital files.
Device failures, theft, accident, or natural disaster can impact at any time. Many of us put these possibilities in the back of our minds. We plan to get in control of our files and photos 'eventually' and then never get around to it. It's easy to think 'it won't happen to me', or make creating a backup something that is always to be done tomorrow.
Replacing Old Valuables
Almost anything you own can be replaced one way or another. A broken laptop, tablet, or phone can easily be replaced with another model. Even credit card or financial details, if stolen or lost, can be cancelled and replaced by the bank in under a week.
Losing data however, whether it's pictures, documents, accounting info or anything else, is far tougher to face. Without a safe backup, there's no easy way to recover it once it is gone. Backups provide a service which could be described as the world’s best insurance policy.
While an insurer may give you some, of the perceived value of the previous goods lost; data backup provides you with your exact data, precisely how you left it. It does this instantly, repeatedly, and without any additional charges or excess. In some instances, it is even automatic and done behind the scenes.
Recovering Irreplaceable Data
There are almost certainly old essays, browser bookmarks, and notes that you can comfortably live without. Equally, there are likely to be photographs, videos, and important documents that you couldn't or shouldn't part with.
For some, these files can be as valuable as the memories themselves: photographs of loved ones, vacations, or milestone events in life. We commonly take critical data for granted; Assuming, because we can access it today, it will still be there tomorrow. This is unfortunately not always true.
These irreplaceable files are too important to keep in just a single place. Retaining only a single copy leaves your data vulnerable to luck and chance as to how long and if it survives.
Losing Data In An Instant
Data storage is liable to develop faults or failures at any time. Often a storage failure isn't made apparent until the device fails to turn on or dies suddenly. These types of hardware failure become more and more likely as devices age. Similarly, modern devices are more and more vulnerable to loss or theft as they get smaller and lighter. While criminals are not likely to be interested in your irreplaceable photographs and documents, they are vulnerable to being stolen along with the device they plan to sell.
Whether lost through natural disaster such as flood or fire, misplaced by accident, or stolen by criminals; important files are truly painful to lose.
If you were to lose these files in an instant today, how much would you pay to end that stress and get them back again? Setting up a good backup is only a tiny fraction of the cost without any of the pain.
Backup For You
With the right backup solution, it doesn't matter how many devices are lost or stolen. Even without a device or away from home, the data important to you can be kept safe and sound to be returned to you when you're ready again.
Regular, consistent backups can even be made for you, automatic and in the background. Documents you create, photographs and video you take can be backed up and kept safe from the second they are captured or saved.
This year, make a resolution to back up your important data. If you already do have a back up strategy in place, take some time to review it and make sure it's not only working, but is also backing up what it should and doing so in an efficient manner. If you'd like to learn more on the various ways to back up your data, we've got you covered with a handy article that should give you everything you need to know. If you're still not sure where to go or what to do, feel free to contact us.