| You are at the end of your day or your week and | | | | document that was changed 12 days ago, then you |
| you think, "I must backup my files, but I don't really | | | | can do just that. You can schedule the backup |
| have time, so I will do it tomorrow". We've all been | | | | process to occur any time of day, week and some |
| there, you've got pictures, music, work files, personal | | | | will even shutdown your computer for you once |
| documents, videos of the kids that all need backing | | | | complete. It is quick, easy to use and you will feel |
| up to your external hard drive. Of course, you first | | | | totally assured that your files are backed up and |
| need to find the new items which are obviously | | | | available for restoration should disaster strike. |
| spread all over your computer, then you need to | | | | I understand how it works, but is it safe? |
| connect your external hard drive to your computer | | | | Yes it is safe as the internet connection uses a |
| and then wait for the 'copy and pasting' to finish. | | | | secure socket layer (SSL) to transfer the data, as |
| What an absolute bore. | | | | well as the data being encrypted during the file |
| There are two things that are wrong with the first | | | | transfer process and stored encrypted on the file |
| paragraph. The first is, "I don't really have time, so I | | | | servers. All of the file servers are located in large |
| will do it tomorrow" and the second is "backing up to | | | | underground data-centres, monitored with |
| your external hard drive". If you are one of those | | | | sophisticated climate and security equipment with |
| individuals still using an external hard drive to copy | | | | backup internet lines to ensure network uptime. |
| and paste your files as a backup solution, or you are | | | | What about Data Protection? |
| a person who is always "doing it tomorrow" then this | | | | All of your data is encrypted on the file servers and |
| article is just for you. | | | | you are the only person to have the ability to |
| Looking back historically, pictures were stored within | | | | decrypt and restore your files using your own |
| physical photo albums, videos were all nicely | | | | decryption password. This ensures that you have |
| organised on VHS tapes and documents were filed | | | | total control over your files. In terms of legality, if |
| away in the filing cabinet. More recently these files | | | | you use an IT company in the United Kingdom ask |
| are stored on CD/DVDs, external hard and flash | | | | them which country their backup servers are located. |
| drives, digital photo albums or allocated folders on | | | | If they are stored within the EU, then they will all be |
| your computers. It is likely that they are also stored | | | | compliant to the UK Data Protection Act. If the |
| on multiple computers and devices and with | | | | servers are located in the United States, make sure |
| numerous versions available both new and old that | | | | the company that owns the servers have signed up |
| you keep "just in case". Well "just in case" is not a | | | | to the Safe Harbour Policy which is an extension to |
| linear term and you cannot predict the day when | | | | the UK Data Protection Act and is deemed |
| your device will not only fail but the data will be | | | | acceptable and safe to transfer your data to. |
| unrecoverable. I am not just talking about your | | | | What if the backup server goes down? |
| computer either, external hard drives are just as | | | | The majority of online backup companies use |
| fragile and are notorious to just one day turn on and | | | | secondary backup servers for replication that hold |
| all you hear is the hard disk making strange grinding | | | | your data as well. This ensures the availability of your |
| and skipping noises. So after all your hard work of | | | | information if their primary server fails. |
| "copy and pasting" to your external hard drive or a | | | | But I need to be reliant on my internet connection |
| separate partition on your computer hard drive, it | | | | This is true and if your internet connection happens |
| was pretty much all for nothing as everything is now | | | | to go down at your home or office, the backup |
| gone. Not to mention that if your backup files are | | | | transfer will automatically continue from the last point |
| available, it is highly unlikely they will even be | | | | when the connection is restored. Should your internet |
| up-to-date. So what are you going to do now? | | | | connection be offline when you need to restore your |
| The answer is, don't wait. Do not wait for that day | | | | data, if you use a good backup company, you will |
| to arrive, invest in an online backup solution now as | | | | also have the ability to access your files over the |
| not only will all of your files be backed up every day | | | | web from any computer, as well as download them. |
| securely, available to be restored whenever you | | | | Using an online backup company to safely and |
| need, but the backup process will happen without | | | | automatically store your personal and business files is |
| any intervention from you, thus making the reliance | | | | not only vital to secure and protect your personal |
| on manual backing up completely redundant. | | | | data continuity but it allows you to have a solution |
| How does it work then? | | | | where once setup, you will not need to manually |
| Online Backup works using your internet connection. | | | | control any part of the backup process. Don't |
| All of your files are copied to secure off-site file | | | | jeopardise your data, talk to an IT Company and ask |
| servers over the internet and then every day the | | | | them about their online backup solutions as using the |
| online backup software is scheduled to make | | | | manual "copy and pasting" to external hard drives as |
| incremental back-ups of any new or changed files. | | | | a backup solution will soon be treated the same as |
| You are also usually able to access up to 30 versions | | | | VHS tapes, a redundant historical memory. |
| of your backups so that if you need to restore a | | | | |