My backup setup 2

In the previous posting I defined my 3 kinds of data. In this posting I will tell how I back it up:

1. Okay to loose.
   This data I store on my NAS - see previous postings about a NAS. It protects me resonably from drive crash, but theft, fire, flood, human error etc. is not covered. However, it is still a very cheap way to have copies of a lot of data on two drives which is often updated.
2. Harder to replace.
   (see next post)
3. Ireplaceable.
   (see future post)

My backup setup 1

I have a lot of data - way too much to serious backup. For this reason I have split it into several categories, each of which have different backup strategies:

1. Okay to loose: Data I get can again, e.g. installation files for downloaded software or music I bought which I can download or rip again.
2. Harder to replace: I have digitalized a lot of old VHS tapes. If I loose the data I can buy the movies again on DVD. It will cost some money, but it can be done.
3. Ireplaceable: Pictures, e-mails, documents etc.

See in the next posting how I back these categories up.

Backup is not the most important...

Backup is not the most important: It is restore.

Imagine that you make your backups regularly in multiple ways with at least one being offsite. One day you need the backup, but it does not work. You might have forgotten a directory, so you do not backup everything you think, you might have forgotten a password for an encrypted file or for some reason the automatic backup have not worked for the last 6 months.

Just as important as taking backup is to test that you can actually restore it. Try it on an old computer or when you get a new one. At least make sure that you can get up and running when necessary.

Howto backup your website or blog

You can do it by hand, but there are programs that can download an entire website. The one from HTTrack is free and has proven itself for many years. Just give it your web address and it will download everything.

Easy backup of important document

Are you writing a book or just an important assignment for school? If you want a quick and fast backup, then create a free e-mail account at e.g. gmail.com and mail the file to that. Then you can always get your backup copy if you should loose your laptop or USB stick.

Backup your website or blog

Today websites and blogs are often made directly in the internet browser and there is no need to store them on your computer.

But what happens when the service you are using disappears? Then your website is gone. Almost. Try to find it on archive.org or search for it on Google and click the "Cache" link. These ways have saved countless websites but they are no guarantee.

How can such a service disappear? History have shown a company have a total system failure thus loosing the data of their paying customers, while the backup was not working. There are also countless examples of companies stopping such service with none or little notice. If you are on holiday when you get the 14 days "eviction notice", you may not get it in time.

Get those pictures off that camera!

Do you keep your pictures on your camera, and never copies them to the computer? History has countless examples of loosing the first years of their child, the pictures from their honey moon or other important pictures. The camera may get lost, stolen or damaged along with all of the pictures.

If nothing else, make it a habit of copying them to the computer every month or so.