Introduction
As I accumulate more and more digital data on my computer, external hard drives, and in the cloud, managing and backing up all of that information can become challenging. Compressing and archiving data can help save a tremendous amount of storage space while also providing an extra layer of protection for important files and folders. In this article, I’ll explore various methods for compressing and archiving backups on Windows and Mac operating systems.
Benefits of Compression
Compressing data before backing it up provides two key advantages:
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Saves storage space – Compression shrinks the physical size of files, allowing more data to fit on a hard drive or in a backup repository. This saves money on storage costs.
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Faster transfer speeds – Copying compressed data from one location to another is much faster than copying uncompressed data since the overall size is smaller. Backups complete quicker.
The level of compression achieved depends on the method used. In general, I can expect file sizes to be reduced by 50-90% for things like documents, media files, and program installations.
Built-In Compression Utilities
Modern Windows and Mac operating systems include built-in compression utilities that provide an easy option for compressing folders and files before backing them up.
Zip on Windows
All versions of Windows have native support for Zip archives using the right-click context menu. To create a Zip archive:
- Right-click on the file or folder I want to compress.
- Select “Send to” > “Compressed (zipped) folder”.
- A new Zip archive containing the compressed contents will be created.
I can also extract and view Zip files without requiring any additional software. Zips provide decent compression and are handy for quickly packaging something to save space.
Archive Utility on Mac
On Mac OS, I can use the pre-installed Archive Utility app to create compressed archives. Archive Utility supports a variety of formats including Zip, Tar, Gzip, Bzip2, Xar, and more.
To make an archive:
- Select the files/folders I want to compress.
- Right-click and choose “Compress”.
- Pick an archive format.
- Choose a name and save location.
The Archive Utility software can also decompress archives for access to the original data. It’s a simple all-in-one tool for basic compression needs.
Third-Party Compression Software
For maximum compression and archiving capabilities, I may want to use a dedicated third-party app instead of the built-in options above. Popular choices include:
- WinRAR (Windows)
- Keka (Mac)
- 7-Zip (Windows/Mac/Linux)
These tools support creating and extracting archives in multiple formats (including Zip, 7z, RAR, Tar, ISO), provide encryption options, have more robust compression algorithms, and additional features for compressing and organizing backups.
For example, 7-Zip has very high compression ratios compared to native Zip compression, while WinRAR offers recovery records and recovery volumes to reconstruct damaged or corrupt archives.
Cloud Archiving Tools
In addition to local compression software, there are also services that provide archiving and compression capabilities optimized for cloud storage:
- Arq Backup – Backs up to cloud providers and can encrypt/compress data.
- CloudBerry Backup – Manages cloud storage and compresses backups.
- Duplicati – Open source backup tool, compresses and encrypts data.
These tools integrate compression into automated cloud backup tasks, saving time and storage costs.
Archiving Strategies
To effectively use compression and archiving for backups, I need an overall strategy tailored to my specific data and storage needs. Here are some best practices:
- Compress infrequently accessed “cold” data, like old projects, archived emails, or legacy files. This data compresses extremely well.
- Don’t compress frequently accessed “hot” data like applications or primary working files. The compression savings are small and may impact performance.
- Archive data from multiple locations into a central vault, rather than compressing folders individually across drives.
- Use automation tools to run regularly scheduled backup jobs that compress and archive important data.
- Verify backups and test extraction of archives periodically to catch any issues early.
- Store archives in multiple locations for redundancy, like a local NAS, external drive, and cloud storage.
Final Thoughts
Compressing and archiving data delivers huge storage savings for backups while also improving protection against file corruption and hardware failures. Whether using built-in tools or third-party software, I can create space-efficient archives to backup irreplaceable data securely and reliably. With a solid overall strategy, compressed backups help future-proof my digital assets against the rapid growth of storage needs.
