| There are few things in life as important as our data. | | | | "What do I back up?" Simply put, you want to back |
| Nerdier words never before spoken, right? Listen | | | | up your data. Simple, yes, but the execution is so |
| up-then be the judge. | | | | often fouled that I would feel remiss without |
| Whether you conduct business with the use of your | | | | explaining. . . |
| computer or are just a casual "surfer", you have | | | | In order to get the proper files, you need to |
| likely grown more dependent on your computer in | | | | research their location, their path. Every program is |
| recent times. As such, your data is likely very | | | | different, though many have recurring similarities. You |
| important to you. Maybe it is your resume, the book | | | | must find out where the pivotal file in association |
| you are writing, e-mails from friends or family, your | | | | with whatever program you are using. Realize that |
| favorites, your pictures, your contact list, calendar, | | | | millions of people use and install a financial program |
| financial information, or something else, but you | | | | like Intuit's Quicken or Microsoft's Money to handle |
| would, almost undoubtedly, be at some measureable | | | | their financial data. Until you input your own |
| loss if some or all of those were to disappear from | | | | information, the files that make up the programs are |
| your life tomorrow. Imagine for a moment what it | | | | all the same. Important above all files required to run |
| would be like to lose it; now, think about it. For some | | | | the program are your unique, personal, data files. |
| of you, this tragedy has already occurred and you | | | | These files harbor the data you spent all that time |
| can, instead, refer to your memory rather than your | | | | typing in. The program files will be restored when you |
| imagination. | | | | reinstall the program, presuming a crash or |
| Now that I have you presumably worried and | | | | like-resulting event has taken place where this has |
| paranoid, it is time to talk about the solution to this | | | | become necessary. Recapping, it is paramount that |
| problem. How can you, again, feel safe and protected | | | | you know and understand where your unique files |
| after I have alarmed you? | | | | are for each program used. |
| One word: Backup. | | | | Many programs have an import/export feature |
| It sounds so simple. But how? The answer is going to | | | | (usually under the "File" menu). Using this, you typically |
| vary depending on how important your data is to | | | | get to pick the store location and often even get to |
| you. Earlier I asked you to imagine some or all of | | | | name or otherwise personalize the file so you may |
| your important data were gone. The greater the | | | | more easily recognize it. Naming the file so it can be |
| stress you felt considering that hypothetical, the | | | | easily identified, incorporating the date when possible, |
| greater the measures you should take to prevent | | | | can prove useful. |
| loss. | | | | Upon knowing the proper location of your files, you |
| Have you heard the saying, "Less is more."? In terms | | | | must execute, somehow, the copy process, the act |
| of backup, forget you ever heard it. Let that apply | | | | itself, of backing up. You can copy and paste from |
| to the amount of salt you put on your next | | | | one drive to the next. Alternatively, you can buy or |
| entrée. In terms of your data, more is more. | | | | download a program that does this for you; some |
| More what? More places. The more places you keep | | | | are more complicated than others. I caution that |
| your data, the less of permanently losing it. | | | | these programs are seldom capable of doing a |
| Complexity can herein ensue, but for the sake of | | | | complete backup of your varying important files that |
| being generic and easily understood, let us say that | | | | are all made by different programs without a lengthy |
| having three or more locations is ideal. Your first | | | | configuration. You can also burn to CD or DVD (or |
| location is the hard drive on your computer, where it | | | | other) media. Depending on your fluency in |
| is already. That one is the no brainer. It is where you | | | | computing, coupled with the amount of time you |
| go from there that can be the difference between a | | | | want to regularly set aside to perform this |
| panic attack and resting easy, your mind worry-free | | | | safeguard, you may wish to consult a professional |
| and relaxed. | | | | who can advise you and tailor your specific needs to |
| Location one-let us call it "ground zero", your hard | | | | a set of procedures for going about your backups. |
| drive, is a moving part. It is the most mechanical and | | | | Either way, this is where you should record and |
| hardest working apparatus inside the box that is your | | | | document a step-by-step guide for acting this out. |
| computer. Most hard drives spin at 7,200 RPM, a | | | | Understanding everything I talked about, if you still |
| figure that eclipses the red line in terms of the | | | | wish to go it alone, one program I like a lot for |
| transmission of your automobile. This is an almost | | | | Windows users, as most of you are, is Microsoft's |
| constant burden of the device which stores your | | | | SyncToy. It is free and easy to use. In short, you |
| info. Given the great labor placed on this unit, the | | | | pick a left folder and a right folder to synchronize |
| likelihood of it giving out on you is increased. Note | | | | and click "Run" and let it do its thing. It will take |
| that there are new innovations, including solid state | | | | everything on the left and put it on the right, and |
| drives, eliminate the "moving parts" dilemma, though | | | | vice versa, until you have a like number of identical |
| these are still very expensive in comparison to the | | | | files on each side, a balanced equation. All you need |
| standard units that likely came with your PC. | | | | to know is what we have already talked about, the |
| Moreover, having one of these and nothing more still | | | | whereabouts of your important data files and how to |
| leaves you with your data in a single location, which | | | | copy and paste them into a single location for the |
| as I outlined previously, is not a good practice. | | | | purposes of the sync. From there, if you have taken |
| The easiest solution is to create a location two. This | | | | the time to identify two folders on differing drive |
| can come in various forms, but use of a flash drive | | | | letters, the program will take care of the rest for |
| or an external hard drive is most popularly employed | | | | you when you unleash it. Lastly, you need only affirm |
| and not extremely costly or difficult to deploy. | | | | that what is on your hard drive folder (usually on |
| Burning to media such as CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, etc. is | | | | your "C" drive) is the same as what is on your |
| also on that plane. | | | | backup device afterwards. Like a fire drill, practicing |
| I will not bore you with further detailing why now | | | | the procedure and making sure the restore works is |
| having your data in two locations is better than one. | | | | beneficial. |
| Most people get that with little question. Overlooked, | | | | There are also software solutions (programs) out |
| however, is the idea behind locations three, four, and | | | | there that will back up your entire system, including |
| so on. | | | | Symantec's Ghost or True Image Workstation by |
| Having a third location, an off-site location, protects | | | | Acronis, though these can be difficult to execute, |
| you from the things like a fire or an electrical surge. A | | | | costly, and time-consuming for a casual computer |
| third location can be as simple as having another flash | | | | user. Similarly, there are hardware solutions such as |
| drive or external hard drive and taking it elsewhere | | | | RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) which |
| for safe keeping. This way, if your home or office | | | | provide various forms of duplication, multiplicity, and |
| burns down, and locations one and two are | | | | redundancy, but are, again, sometimes difficult to |
| compromised, you will still have your data safe and | | | | deploy, expensive, etc. |
| sound elsewhere at location three. After all, if you | | | | Thus far, we have covered how to locate your data |
| had ten hard drives, flash drives, CDs, DVDs, etc. | | | | files, how to copy or export them, and how many |
| storing your backups, what good would they be if | | | | places to put them (Reminder: "More is more."). |
| they all burned in the same fire or were shorted by | | | | Lastly, let's talk frequency. How often? When? One |
| the same electrical surge? To be idiomatic, don't put | | | | last time I'll have you refer back to the daydream I |
| all your eggs in one basket. | | | | asked you have. Depending on how lost you would |
| Another means of off-site backup is an online | | | | be if you came up missing your files, that scenario |
| solution. We use a third party company, Carbonite, | | | | should aid you in deciding how often you need to |
| for our online backups, for example. There are pros | | | | perform backups. If you, for example, enter one |
| and cons to that and other online backup solutions | | | | hundred contacts into your address book per day, it |
| ranging from cost to security and all things in | | | | would probably make sense to back them up more |
| between, but I maintain: "More is more." First | | | | often. |
| evaluate the sensitivity of your data and weigh it | | | | In summary, be aware of where your files are and |
| against the reputation and procedures of any third | | | | what they're named. Copy these files to alternate |
| party company you might wish to use for backups. | | | | locations, on-site and off. Choose what and how |
| Also, be sure to consider the timeliness and customer | | | | often to perform backups based on the fight of how |
| service you can hope to receive if and when you | | | | long they took to make in the first place versus how |
| ever have to actually use such a service to restore | | | | long it may take you to do it over again. Carefully |
| your data. In this way, such an option is very much | | | | choose a span of time that is reasonable to make |
| like insurance in that it is more important in how you | | | | backups. Adhere to a schedule and put it on your |
| are served after the incident than whatever they | | | | calendar and make it habitual-and back up your |
| claim to cover beforehand. | | | | calendar. When deciding a budget for what will |
| By this time we have a firm understanding of all | | | | become your backup routine, consider the value of |
| things location, location, location. With that hurdle | | | | both your time and data as it is ultimately your |
| eclipsed, the subsequent questions are: "What do I | | | | responsibility to stay current. Now you know the |
| back up?" "Where can I find it?" "How do I do it?" | | | | what, the where, the how, and the when. If it's still |
| Knowing the answer to these questions might seem | | | | Greek to you and you need further help or a |
| basic, but not knowing or understanding one or all can | | | | consultation, let the "who" be us and e-mail or call or |
| prove tragic. | | | | seek out help from another capable IT professional. |