We’ve all been there. At least once in our lives, we lose essential data stored on our electronic devices.
It makes no difference whether it’s due to a glitch, malware, or malfunction. Accumulating heaps of information on your computer and then losing it is terrible.
This is where data backups come in to save the day. A backup is a copy of a file safely tucked away in cloud storage or another device. Sounds great, doesn’t it? And yet, according to the statistics, around 21% of the general public have never used it.
That’s why we want to bring you up to speed on this topic. Here, our team will explain all about backups and data recovery and suggest excellent backup options you can use right now.
🖥️ 5 Reasons Why You Should Back Up Your Data
Let’s start with why creating data backups is a good idea. We can come up with a multitude of reasons, but here are the top 5:
- Data loss prevention. No matter how expensive and state-of-the-art your device may be, it can’t protect you against everything. You could lose your computer, accidentally delete something, forget a password, or simply neglect to save the changes you made in your document. If you develop the habit of creating backups, you will be less affected by such errors and accidents.
- Protection against computer damage. So many things can happen to our computers: power failures, malware, and natural disasters, just to name a few. None of it will destroy your files if you perform regular data backups.
- Confidence in your data security. This new era of technology allowed us to “own” more information than ever. But it’s also made us very dependent – if technology lets us down, we get thrown off balance immediately. Save yourself from trouble by backing up your data.
- Access to lost documents. You can sleep peacefully knowing that your files will never really be lost because there’s always another copy.
- Saving time. If you’re a student, you will probably find this argument especially convincing. The prospect of having to rewrite a seemingly endless assignment is hardly anyone’s idea of fun. What should you do? That’s right, back it up!
What to Back Up as a Student
You may feel confident that your favorite device will never let you down, but as a student, it’s best to always err on the side of caution. Let’s see what should be your priority when it comes to doing backups.
📌 Study materials. This includes essays, research, various projects, reports, and your thesis or dissertation. Save the final versions and also make backups while working on your assignments. It’s also worth keeping the copies of the papers you’ve already handed in: they will help you in case of any misunderstanding with a teacher.
📌 Digital books and worksheets. It’s convenient to keep them all in one place, neatly divided into folders. This way, you’ll know where everything is and be able to access it quickly. Plus, you won’t have to worry about losing any of them.
📌 Photos and videos of memorable moments. Your precious memories are just as important as your academic work. Cloud services today can back up your media files without you having to control the process, so you won’t have to cry over lost photos from your last vacation.
📌 Sensitive information. If there’s anything you’d like to keep to yourself, you can create a copy or two and delete the original file from your primary device. This way, you’ll still have it, but it’ll be out of other people’s reach.
✨ Backing Up Your Data: Infographic
🆚 Local Backup vs. Cloud Backup
Now that you know what to back up and why, it’s time to find out how to do it.
There are two forms of backups: local and cloud. Here’s how they differ.
Local backups use hardware to store your information, meaning your files will be on a physical device that belongs to you. They come in different forms: HDD, SSD, NAS, and removable media.
- HDD, or Hard Disk Drives, are probably the most popular way to back up files. They’re convenient, don’t take up much space, and can be carried around easily.
- SSD, or Solid State Drives, are a more modern and advanced replacement for HDDs since they’re smaller, faster, and safer.
- NAS, or Network-Attached Storage, is, in simple terms, a hard drive attached to a network. You can access it remotely, and it’s possible to build up available storage by adding more hard drives.
- Removable media is a fancier name for USB memory sticks. While small and lightweight, they don’t have the same lifespan and level of protection as other forms of information backup.
A cloud backup is a backup located on a cloud server on the internet. It is safe, and you can choose between multiple services based on their price and offered features.
The main types of cloud services are:
- Cloud backup services, automatically back up the information from your computer at set intervals.
- Cloud storage services, to which you upload the files manually whenever and however you think is best.
Let’s compare the two backup forms and see which is more advantageous. Of course, this is only a general summary of their advantages and disadvantages. These parameters will vary for different devices and cloud servers.
So, which form of backup should you choose? Well, we suggest using both to guarantee ultimate safety for your important data.
📁 Backup Types: How to Choose
The choice doesn’t end with cloud or local storage. Aside from these 2 forms, there are also various types of backups to choose from:
💡 Pro tip
As a student, you may benefit from running a full backup first and then performing incremental backups to add new and modified files to your storage. It is the least time-consuming and most effective way to ensure the safety of your information.
☁️ Top Backup Options: Cloud Services
Cloud services are definitely worth a try when it comes to storing your files. They’re protected from cybercrime, safe from physical damage, and virtually bottomless. There are also many to choose from, and that’s what we will look at in the next section.
Top 5 Free Cloud Storage Services
We’ve compiled a list of our favorite tried-and-tested cloud services. What makes them undeniably attractive is that they’re free. They also offer paid premium accounts with additional options.
1. Google Drive ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
This service offers one of the more generously sized storage options.
2. Dropbox ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Launched in 2007, Dropbox was the first cloud storage service of its kind, and it’s still going strong.
3. MEGA ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Many believe this is one of the best services that offer excellent UI/UX.
4. MediaFire ⭐⭐⭐
This is one of the first cloud storage services that works on many platforms.
5. OneDrive ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This one is a Microsoft-owned cloud service.
Top 5 Paid Cloud Backup Services
We love free cloud services, but paid ones offer more storage space and additional features to ensure superb data protection. They are your go-to if you are ready to invest in the safety of your files.
We’ve put together a list of fantastic paid cloud backup services that will upload your files automatically:
1. IDrive ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Launched in 1995, this service has accumulated decades of experience to offer you a great product at a fair price.
2. SpiderOak One ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This service offers excellent security features.
3. Backblaze ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is one of the most popular cloud backup services, and rightly so.
4. Acronis ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is an experienced company that offers multiple features.
5. Carbonite ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Here’s another popular service that’s been around since 2005.
💾 Best Local Storage Devices for Students
Cloud backup services may seem like an obvious choice for many reasons. But it doesn’t mean we should disregard local storage devices as they have undeniable benefits, such as convenience and extra protection.
Here are the best options for local storage devices that you can buy on Amazon right now:
1. Samsung 870 QVO SATA SSD 2TB ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Samsung’s Solid State Drive with up to 8TB of storage capacity.
2. SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Solid State Drive with 1050 MB/s read speed.
3. Toshiba Canvio Basics 2TB HDD ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A portable external hard drive with plenty of storage space.
4. Seagate Portable 2TB HDD ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A USB external hard drive that can store 2TB worth of data.
5. Samsung Bar Plus 128GB USB 3.1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
An excellent and very stylish USB flash drive from Samsung.
6. SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive 128GB USB ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A USB flash drive you can use with your computer, smartphone, and tablet.
🔮 3-2-1 Backup Strategy: Should You Use It?
This could come as a surprise to you, but there’s a strategy even for backups. And if you think about it, it makes total sense – backing up your precious data deserves careful planning.
One way to do it is the 3-2-1 strategy. If you haven’t heard about it, here’s what it is about:
It involves having 3 copies of a file on 2 different types of storage – for example, internal HDD and SSD – and 1 offsite copy as far away as possible so that a natural disaster cannot affect it.
This strategy makes perfect sense. You really can’t rely on having just one copy of a file. A physical device can be destroyed in a disaster, cloud storage may suffer from a cyberattack, and your HDD may be lost or damaged beyond repair.
You might be thinking that having three copies is foolproof protection. While it’s still better than one copy, cyber dangers such as ransomware attacks make us think outside the box and develop more advanced solutions.
Let us introduce the new 4-3-2 standard. It’s worth considering, especially for college students. You probably produce a massive number of papers, and losing any of them… well, you get it. It won’t be a good thing.
According to the 4-3-2 strategy, you make 4 copies of a file and store them on 3 different types of media and 2 offsite locations.
The 3 types of media can be your HDD at home, an MSP (Managed Services Provider that offers remote data backup,) and a cloud backup service.
We cannot overestimate the importance of backups. Data is a precious asset, and you don’t want to risk losing it. Taking all the necessary precautions will help you save your time and energy at college and later in life.
We wish you good luck with data protection! Don’t forget to tell us about your preferred backup methods in the comments below.
🔍 References
- Backing Up Your Data is Smart, Easy and Sometimes Free: Connecticut College
- Introduction to Data Management for Undergraduate Students: Data Backup: University of Illinois
- 8 Fail-Safe Ways to Back Up Your Data: Creative Bloq
- Data Backup in Depth: Concepts, Techniques, and Storage Technologies: Cloudian
- What is a Data Backup?: Corel
- Backup and Recovery of Data: The Essential Guide for Businesses
- Cloud Backup Vs. Local Backup: Which Is Better?: Geekflare
- The Best Online Cloud Backup Service: New York Times
- Importance of Data Backup and Recovery: Rubrik
- Why You Should Always Backup Your Data: Stellar
- 3-2-1 Strategy for Backing Up Your Personal Data: University of Wisconsin-Madison