Over the centuries, humans have always strived for the world’s technological advancement. We have been continuously improving for the betterment and discoveries for new techs. In this digital age, almost all people have their data on their mobiles and computer. These computers can store different types of data, but they also have limited capacity. With endless valuable information at hand, if you are wondering how to protect, move, and copy information on your computer without deleting your current data, you must think of ways on how to back-up your essential files.
Creating backups is one of the most recommended solutions for preserving your data. This action lets you copy or duplicate your files for significant reasons. Losing files due to system crash, corruption, or failing internal harddrive are few of the reasons why we need to exercise backing up our data. If you are wondering how you can back up your file, here are some ways you can use and try to back-up your pieces of information.
Windows Backup
Windows is an operating system that has built-in tools that can help you with backing up your valuable files. We call this built-in utility tool Backup and Restore. It automatically saves copies of files from your desktop, libraries, and your default windows folders. This program saves changes in your applications or saves any data during a specific update. For example, you updated or installed an application on a certain date, the information and state of your system will be saved, and when you encounter problems in your system, you can go back to the time of state when you last updated an application. The tool is simple, and it is easy to locate because you can find it in your computer settings.
Hardware Storage Devices
Hardware storage devices are tangible tools that can store and save your soft data originating from your computer. These are also mobile devices that you can carry around with you, without having to worry about the weight of your computer. These are also practical to use when traveling or transferring your data from one device to another. We have three examples of hardware storage devices that you can consider for your files:
USB Stick:
These devices are little and lightweight solid-state drives that you can easily insert to your computer port. Note that USB Stick has limited capacity. They can store information from 8 gigabytes up to 128 gigabytes. These devices are ideal, and you can use them as a means to transfer files for multiple devices and to back up multiple copies of valuable data.
External Hard drive:
This portable storage device has a large capacity for storing different kinds of files. This device is medium in size, and it comes in different storage capacities. They are usually rectangular, and they can house hundreds or thousands of gigabytes. Like USB sticks, you can use this device for transferring data information or files. Most people recommend External Hard Drive when dealing with large types of files, like storing huge quantities of documents, pictures, videos, or any type of media.
Cd’s and or Dvd’s:
CD stands for Compact Disk while DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disk. You can use these optical storage devices when you make copies of your files. Computers nowadays are programmed with a CD/DVD writer, which enables you to fill the drive with data as they store your files as binary codes, and can be previewed by using light. You usually use these types of storage for Audio and Video Recordings.
Cloud Storage
Cloud Storage is intangible storage that you can use anywhere as long as you have access to the internet. This method uploads and stores your information on the internet, and you can manage it through cloud providers that services data storing. The data you send to the internet data server is forwarded to multiple servers that you can access through the web. Deciding to use this type of back-up tool requires you to choose the best cloud storage to use as this will have a hold-in all your crucial backup files. Although this will also cost you money for the cloud space, this assures your files are safe in cases where your devices are unavailable, lost, broken, or stolen. The amount you will need to pay is all worth it because you can securely save your files.
Cloning
Clone can replicate the exact image of your whole operation. You simply copy the contents of a hard drive to another hard drive. Not only can it copy files, but it can also copy the precise programs that operate your computer, even your operating system. This is beneficial when you use certain programs or software for your files. There are numerous ways to back up your files as there are also different types of it. These types may be the Full backup, Incremental, and Differential backup. The full backup is a method where you store all your files and folders selected for the backup.
You can use this kind as an initial backup plan. However, it has the slowest backup speed, but it has the fastest restore speed. Next is the Incremental backup, this is a method of storing and backing new files that you have accumulated after your last backup. This type has the fastest backup speed, but it has the slowest file recovery. Lastly, the Differential backup is a method you can use when backing up specific data from the files that you have already backed up.
Choosing a way to backup your file can be very confusing, so it is recommended to practice the 1-2-3 Rule for backing up. These involve copying one for the original files on your computer, two for the external hard drive or USB Stick, and three for the cloud storage. Backing up your file now and then may feel very exhausting, but there are a lot of benefits that you can learn from it. It can make your mind feel at ease of thinking that all your important documents are safe.