Should I Backup My Computer?

I hear this question quite often and the answer is without a doubt – “Yes!” Hard drives are the component on a computer that are most likely to fail. Once the hard drive has failed, it’s usually too late to recover the data.

So, the next question is - what options are there for backing up a computer? There are several utilities available, but they all fall under three main methods. Copying files to another drive, imaging, and copying files off-site over the Internet. The method you choose will depend on your threshold of pain regarding your company data.

The first method, copying files to another drive, will preserve your files, financial information, email, contacts, etc. However, for this data to be of any use it will first be necessary to replace the failed hardware (hard drive or computer), reinstall the operating system, i.e. Windows, reinstall all programs such as Word, Excel, QuickBooks, etc. Then, once all of this is done it will be necessary to copy all of the backed up files to the new hardware and, where necessary, import them into the appropriate programs. This can take several hours to several days, depending on the number and types of programs and files.

The second method, imaging, is the best for getting you back up and running quickly. With imaging, all programs, files and settings are saved as an image of your hard drive on a regular basis. If your hard drive fails it’s a simple matter of replacing the hard drive and restoring the last image taken to the new drive. Once this is done, the computer is in the exact same state as it was prior to the failure. In other words, it’s as if the drive never failed. This process, including the time to purchase and replace the hard drive, can be completed in as little as a couple of hours.

Finally, off-site backups are the backup of last resort. This method is designed to ensure that if a worst-case scenario played out, i.e. your office burns down, your data can still be recovered. While the recovery time for this is relatively long, should the data be needed there will be other factors to overcome before needing to restore the data. Again, this is for worst-case situations where the equipment at the normal place of business has been destroyed and, in most cases, the entire business must be relocated and all equipment replaced.

So, while there are a number of options for backing up data, the key element is taking action. While you may not need all three types of backup solutions for your particular circumstances, you certainly need at least one. Don’t decide that you should have backed up your data once your drive has failed. It’s just a matter of time. If you haven’t had a hard drive fail on you, consider yourself one of the lucky few who will, at some point, experience the gut wrenching reality that your data is gone.