Introduction
Backing up data is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself in the digital age. With so much of our lives stored digitally, a failure to properly back up can lead to catastrophic data loss. In this article, I will provide 5 must have backup strategies that you should implement to fully protect yourself.
1. Use Multiple Backup Destinations
The first key backup strategy is to maintain multiple copies of your data in different locations. This protects you in the event that one backup fails or a location is damaged. Some examples:
- Local backup – An external hard drive or network attached storage in your home or office.
- Offsite/Cloud backup – A service like Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, etc.
- Offline backup – External media like DVDs, Blu-ray discs, or flash drives stored in a secure location.
By spreading data across these destination types, a failure in one will not result in total loss.
2. Automate the Process
Backups are only effective if they are current. Automating the backup process is highly recommended to ensure it runs as required. Most backup software or services will have the ability to automate:
- Scheduling – Set periodic backup intervals (e.g. daily, weekly).
- File selection – Choose which folders or file types to include.
- Processing – Software runs the backup automatically per the schedule.
Set and forget automated backup is a must for any backup strategy.
3. Encrypt and Protect Backup Files
An important part of backing up is protecting the backup files themselves from unauthorized access or use. Steps that should be taken:
- Encryption – Password protect backup files to prevent access.
- Access control – Limit access to backup files to authorized persons only.
- File permissions – Use read-only permissions where possible to prevent changes.
- Secure storage – Use secure locations to store physical backups like external drives.
These measures prevent backups from being compromised and your data stolen or altered.
4. Regularly Test Restoration
The point of a backup is to be able to restore data when needed. It is important to regularly test that your backup files can be successfully restored. Some tips:
- Test restores – Periodically do sample restores of files from backup to ensure the process works properly.
- Test different systems – Check that backups can be restored to different machines or devices if needed.
- Test full recovery – Do a complete restore to a test environment to confirm everything works correctly.
Frequent restoration testing gives confidence your data is fully recoverable from backup files.
5. Keep Historical Backups
Files are sometimes changed or deleted only for you to realize later you still need the older versions. To protect against this, keep multiple generations of backup files:
- Full vs incremental – Full weekly backups supplemented by daily incremental backups capture file history.
- Backup retention settings – Configure backup software to retain multiple versions over time.
- Archive backups – Move older backups to long term archival media.
With historical backups, you can restore past versions of files if you need them again.
Conclusion
Protecting your important data through solid backup strategies is a key part of any cybersecurity plan. By following the 5 must have approaches covered in this article, you can implement layered backup that fully protects your data from loss. Be sure to follow best practices around automation, encryption, testing, and file history retention. Your data is your life – back it up and keep it safe!
