Backing-up data on business PCs and portable devices

Data is the most important aspect of your computer. In most cases operating systems can be reinstalled and so can applications, but it may be difficult or impossible to recreate your original data.

ALWAYS BACKUP IMPORTANT INFORMATION and put a plan in place for recovering it in the event of a system failure. The most common causes of data loss are failure of hardware, accidental error, theft and accidents like a spilled coffee.

Another common problem is when data is accidentally moved or deleted from the location it is saved in, e.g. ‘My Documents’ on a local PC or laptop/notebook hard drive. Finding and retrieving data can take considerable time and if deleted may not be recoverable.

Computer viruses are also a risk and can result in corrupted or deleted data. Read latest information on Locky Virus here.

Keeping data in a cloud storage system like Dropbox is not the same as a backup, it is just a way of having your data easily accessible from multiple devices/locations (home/work).

Backing up personal and business data should be undertaken on a regular basis. Copying and saving data to a protected system should become part of a routine so that you can access it when those files are needed.

If your device is connected to a business network it is likely that your data is backed-up in line with the network back-up strategy.  However, this may not include any data stored locally or on portable drives.

CONTACT IT Support for help with:

1. Deciding what data needs to be backed up
2. Recommending the most effective option based on requirements, time, security, available technology and budget
3. Developing a back-up strategy for business and staff