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Are you feeling a little anxious? That’s likely today, March 31, is World Backup Day—originally a made-up day to raise awareness of data backups and the increasing role of digital information in daily lives.
If you wonder who made it up, the day also helps storage vendors sell products. Go figure! And here’s the list of excellent storage deals from known vendors (Samsung, Seagate, WD, and more) you can get today!
In all seriousness, keeping backups is crucial. So today is one of those special days we should appreciate daily. March is also Women’s History Month—March 8 is International Women’s Day—precisely because the value should be appreciated daily.
And we can make every day World Backup Day. Backing up doesn’t require much effort. There’s no need for flowers, chocolate, or being extra nice, though those things don’t hurt. Data backup has never been more critical, considering the amount we generate and how ransomware has run rampant in recent years.
You’ll learn more about data backup in this post, and hopefully, when through, you’ll find a way to ensure your data is safe. Consider this post a public service announcement.
So, what’s a backup?
Philosophically, data backup is like a health or car insurance policy. We need it yet, we hope you’ll never have to resort to it.
Physically, a backup is an extra copy of the data you put away, separate from the version you’re using. The more copies you have, the safer your information is, and you generally need at least one additional copy.
The more often your data changes, the more regularly backups should be performed. Depending on your needs, there are different ways to make a backup.
How do I back up?
The simplest way is to manually make a duplication of your data and place it somewhere else. Copying files on a thumb drive and then tucking it away will do. Or, for a small document, you can even email it to yourself.
Ideally, though, you want a backup solution that happens automatically, without you having to get involved, after the initial setup.
So, the best way to handle this important task is to set up a backup scheme, which is easy enough and relatively cheap to achieve nowadays. You can indeed set up data backup once and then forget about it.
Types of backups
There are generally three types of backups: online, local, and network. Each has pros and cons, but any is better than no backup. And it doesn’t hurt to use all three—in fact, you should. Let’s find out more about each.
The 3-2-1 rules of backups
In data backups, there’s a minimum “3-2-1 rule”: You should keep at least three copies of your data using at least two (types of) storage devices, one of which must be offsite.
1. Online backup
Online backup, often goes by the misnomer “cloud backup”, is when you upload your data to a remote server—a computer or computers residing elsewhere in the world. Typical examples are Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, and Google Drive.
You only need to sign up for one of the three. Then, download the software for your platform, run it, and follow the self-explanatory instructions.
Online backup: Pros and Cons
Online backups keep your data safe from disasters like fires or floods—your data is stored offsite at the service provider’s data centers.
You can perform a backup, and access your files, from anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection. One online account can work for multiple machines, and you can even sync data between them.
And finally, you won’t need to worry about the maintenance of the backup destination. But with that comes the catches.
Due to the constraints of the Internet speed, it takes a long time to back up or retrieve a large amount of data.
The backup process also strains your Internet connection’s upload pipe. So, it’s not ideal for those with a slow Internet connection.
And finally, using an online service means you will, for the most part, have to surrender your privacy, and your data is susceptible to hacking.
Specifically, if you leak your account credentials (username and password), the bad guy can obtain that vital document or those private photos. That has happened.
Who should use the online backup?
If you use a smartphone, chances are you’re already using some online backup solution via Apple’s iCloud (iDevices) or Google’s Drive/Photos apps (Android).
For computer users, this type of backup is excellent when you have small amounts of lightweight data, such as Word or Excel documents.
If you have more, consider getting a fast broadband connection and prepare to pay for the extra online storage space.
2. Local backup
This type of backup is the easiest and most popular.
A typical example is using an external drive, such as a portable drive that connects directly to a computer using a peripheral port, namely a USB or Thunderbolt. If you have a desktop (or even certain laptops), you can add an internal secondary hard drive or SSDs as the permanent backup destination.
After that, use Time Machine on a Mac or File History on a Windows machine. These two applications automatically back up your data regularly, as often as every few minutes. Some portable drives, such as the WD My Passport series, include third-party backup software you can also use.
By the way, if you get a few external drives and remove them from the computer after a full backup, that’d be an excellent offline solution that will keep your data safe against ransomware.
Local backup: Pros and Cons
Generally, you can back up a large amount of data easily if your computer has a fast USB/Thunderbolt peripheral connection or when you use a secondary internal drive.
Also, there’s minimal setup or configuration, and you don’t need the Internet.
Finally, if you use a RAID 1 solution, such as a desktop external drive like the My Book Duo, your data is safe, even if one of the internal drives on the backup storage dies.
As the name suggests, local backups can handle only one computer at a time. It requires a drive to connect to a computer directly and therefore is inconvenient for mobile users or multiple users on a local area network.
Additionally, ransomware attacks can render any connected local backup drive useless. Its content is affected like the rest of the computer.
Who should use the local backup?
Desktop users will benefit the most from a local backup, though mobile users can also get an ultra-portable drive, like one of these portable SSDs, to back up their notebooks.
Some portable drives also work with Android or iOS devices. However, in this case, they are too clunky to rely on.
Here are some options for the local backups—many of them are on sale on World Backup Day:
- Pick one of these top portable SSDs if you want to back up a laptop on the go. You can easily move the drive between multiple computers.
- A desktop external drive is a better fit if you have a desktop. Consider the WD Mybook or My Book Duo (with RAID options), which recently has upped the storage space to 44TB.
3. Network backup
This type of backup uses a network-attached storage (NAS) server that connects to your router or a switch, allowing users to back up multiple devices simultaneously.
A NAS server can also work as your cloud storage for you to back up data to it over the Internet. It’s like having an online backup service of your own.
Good servers, like those from Synology, also has many other applications, such as a streaming media server or a surveillance system when coupled with IP cameras.
However, if you want to start slowly, turning your router into a mini NAS server will work well for many homes.
Network backup: Pros and Cons
Using a server is by far the most comprehensive backup solution. It has the speed and convenience of local backups and the safety and minimum privacy risks that you can hardly find in online backup.
Some servers can also protect your data in case of ransomware attacks by keeping versions of your data via shadow copies. (I detailed that in this post on server data security.)
Those with lots of data and fast Internet connections can even use multiple servers at different locations and sync data between them to have automatic offsite backups. Or you can use your server as the “cloud storage”—as the online backup solution—for your remote friends and family members.
Finally, a server can give you lots of storage space and different RAID options to deliver performance, redundancy, or both. And you can also have the ability to scale up the capacity as your data grows.
Setting up a backup server requires networking and computer know-how.
Additionally, the initial cost is higher than a single backup drive for local backup.
While you can turn a Wi-Fi router into a mini NAS server for relatively cheap, this solution lacks the major advantages of a real NAS server, including redundancy, shadow copies, and more.
Who should use network backup?
Anyone with a major need for storage space and backups will benefit from network storage solutions. So a good NAS server is in order if you have a large family.
Looking to dabble into network backup today? The related-post box below will give you additional resources and many hardware options.
Tend to your backups
Using any of the backup types above—online, local, or network—is better than having no backup.
Depending on your data type, you should use all of them when appropriate. I used cloud backup for critical data, network backup for essential data, and local backup for everything.
All of my desktops have a second internal drive for backup and are set to back up the entire system once a day.
If you’re worried about the backup drive running out of storage space, use a backup destination with enough space for at least 150 percent of your data. Most backup programs can auto-rotate, meaning they will delete the old backups when needed.
While most backup schemes are set-it-and-forget-it, checking on your backups occasionally is a good idea. You can do that by performing a test restoration or copying a file or two from your backups to ensure they have been in the intended state.
If your backup software has a verification function, you can set it to run after each backup job.
The takeaway
One moment things are working fine; the next, your computer might not even boot up. Take my word for it.
Like a among these deals and make those extra backups today! Now!
Dong’s note: This post was first published on March 31, 2020, and has been updated annually to add up-to-date information, the last time being on March 31, 2024.
Hi Dong,
Another cracking reminder. I’ve just replaced my DS212+ with a DS1522+ using Synology drives and memory; smooth as butter and just does everything. Our 321 involves Apple iCloud (part of the media package), the Synology DS1522+ and another drive attached to the router. I am an Apple Fanboy, even after Apple potentially surrendered part of their fortress mentality to the EU (As an EU citizen I was perfectly happy how Apple operated).
Happy Easter,
Vernon
Thanks for sharing, Vernon! Nice job on upgrading the NAS server! Happy Easter!
Thank you … I thought a decade plus was good value from the old NAS. When I say I’m an Apple fanboy, I don’t repeatedly change our gear, our Apple Mac Air is from 2018 & my iPhone 11 must be close to that age … It all just works (although I am looking at the Framework 13” with covetous eyes 🤔). We are finally getting fibre, so Mr Musk’s StarLink can be relegated to backup (mind, this morning it was showing over 240 mbps). Thanks to your advice on Ethernet backhaul, we have this speed all over the house, outbuildings even the cellars; ASUS XT8s still look as if they have plenty of life left in them, although if we are offered multi-gig by our broadband supplier, we may get a faster ASUS router and relegate the current router to the mesh. I read all your articles, often returning to those that are pertinent to our circumstances as they evolve.
Apple’s hardware is great. It’s their software (and the control) that’s annoying. I still use my 2013 MBP. It runs Windows 11 well via Bootcamp. Glad you’re staying on top of your tech! Not an easy task. 🙂
Hi Dong,
You wrote, “By the way, if you get a few drives and remove them from the computer after a full backup, that’d be an excellent offline backup that will keep your data safe against ransomware.”
I run backups to a single external drive using File History in Windows 10. I’d like to alternate with another drive so that one is always disconnected, somewhat current, and safer from a ransomware attack. Is this what you are referring to? If so, can you tell me how to do this with File History – it seems to just support one drive and says I have to stop using one to start another.
BTW, thanks for another excellent post.
You can remove the current drive (from the computer), Jerry, and then run File History and choose to add another. Repeat that when you put the drive back, and you’ll be given the option to reuse the existing (previous) backup set on it. It’s fairly self-explanatory.
Thanks for the reviews and tutorials on NAS. Recently, my desktop PC went down and won’t boot following a power outage. I’ll need to reinstall Windows and rebuild apps and data, but I’ve ordered a second PC and a DS220+ with 2 6TB Ironwolf drives to avoid issues in the future. My question is can I avoid Windows reinstallation and resulting data loss by configuring the NAS server to automatically back up disk images of each computer, and if so, whether DSM software will give me the ability to restore a crashed computer with the most current image version?
Yes, Tom. Just make scheduled backups. You’ll need to create a Rescue boot disk using Macrium Reflect to restore a computer on a new internal drive in case of crash or hardware replacement.
Backup is the easy part. Restore is the hard part and figuring out how to do a restore when your PC is down is also challenging so I would encourage people to practice the full loop of backup and restore ahead of a disaster event so they know what to do when “it” happens.
Very, true, Dean. I did mention recovery in the linked posts on particular backup software.
Nice intro to a topic that some folks don’t pay attention to until it’s too late.
Back up can be a simple and complex topic.
Depending on how you use Google Drive and OneDrive and iCloud and so on they can be seen as backups or just online storage. Mac folks will be familiar with Time Machine. Great for backing up. But if your Time Machine backup is in the same place as your Mac and the place burns down chances are your data are lost.
An approach typical risk-averse folks might take could be:
on-site hourly backup – local drive, network drive, or NAS
rotating on-site/off-site daily or weekly backups (backup to one drive, take it off-site, bring the drive from off-site home, repeat)
On-line constant backup (Backblaze and the like)
This ignores medium-specific backups/fallbacks like Amazon or google photos, Lightroom CC, and so on.