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The Horror of Not Backing Up
By Andrew Christiansen
Computer Gurus
www.computergurus.org
BOO!!! Did I scare you? Okay. Let’s see if this is a bit more scary. Tomorrow, when you turn on your computer it won’t boot, the hard drive will not be accessible, and you failed to make a backup of any of your data files. A computer consultant advised you there is no way to retrieve any of the data from your hard drive. It’s lost forever. If that scenario didn’t scare you, it certainly should have.
While we hope such a catastrophic event never happens to your computer, just remember it might. And, if it does happen, it’ll happen without warning. In the reality of computers, loss of data is somewhat commonplace. You may not lose all the data on your hard drive, but losing some files or dealing with corrupt data is quite common. No matter what operating system you use, no matter what brand of computer you use, no matter how careful you are with your data files, your data can disappear or become corrupt without warning. Amazingly, when a hard drive fails, it usually “dies” in a matter of minutes.
So what is your data worth to you and your business? What will happen to your company if you no longer have access to important data stored on your hard drive? Statistics from the Boston Computing Network (www.bostoncomputing.net) show that 60% of companies who lose computer data will shut down within six months. American Data Recovery,
(www.adrdatarecovery.com) a data recovery and backup specialty company, estimates US companies lose about $12 billion each year from lost data. ADR also estimates hardware and system failure, accounts for 78% of all computer data loss! These are sobering statistics.
With so much of your business at stake, why is creating a sound backup schedule always the next thing on your to-do list? Perhaps you think your data is safe because your computer is new. Maybe you trust your employees, even those that don’t have necessary computer skills. Maybe you lack the technical know-how of the proper steps in performing a backup. Perhaps it’s a tight budget. Most likely reason why you don’t perform a backup is because you’ve not had a “significant” loss of data which caused an undue hardship on your company. Once you experience a serious data loss, your computer backup routine becomes much more important. We recommend backing up data files every day using two different systems – a complete backup to a second physical hard drive, then a second backup to a removable CD-RW. Although this won’t prevent every data disaster, it’ll help with 99% of them.
Why should I be wary of data stored on my hard drive? Exactly what is this mechanical device where I store my critical data files? In simple terms, the hard drive is a stack of platters which rotate around a shaft or spindle. Data is accessed via read-write heads. The spindle speed is measured in revolutions per minute and is defined as how quickly a hard drive can spin its disk platters. Most consumer hard-drive speeds range from 5,400 rpm to 15,000 rpm, with the average speed ringing in at 7,200 rpm. This motion creates friction and mechanical wear, which over time, causes hard drives to malfunction. Also, due to other equipment malfunctions, your hard drive might have a weak magnetic signal causing data loss. Also, misaligned read-write heads from bumps and jolts cause data loss.
Backup Schedule
Having a sound backup schedule and procedure in place can dramatically reduce the impact that data loss or a complete hard drive failure will have on your company. There are three components of a sound backup schedule:
- Perform regular backups Perform a backup every day, most usually at the close
of business. Schedule the backup so it happens every
day your data changes – even on weekends. Sometimes,
the nature of your ever-changing data, might require
more frequent backups. Every business is different.
Just remember to “grab” only the data files. Backing
up an entire hard drive is usually too time consuming.
- Test your backup device(s) and processes
Test your backups to ensure your backup device(s) is (are) functioning and you can read your backups in the event you need to rebuild any or all of your data files. Testing your backups should be done at least quarterly, but monthly or even weekly, would be better.
- Store data off-site
Store at least one full backup of your data in a location other than where the computer is located. If your data center is destroyed by natural disasters or fire, or if you computer is stolen, you’ll have a copy of your data in a different location to rebuild your data files. One good backup routine is to store daily backups at your place of business, but store weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual backups off-site.
Having a data backup plan and putting the plan in motion is the single best thing you can do to protect your valuable computer data. You may wish to call on your computer friend, or a professional to confirm if your current backup is adequate for your business. You can have the same professional install the backup device(s), create a backup schedule, and train you on what to do.
A common belief is that you have to decide between a tape drive or an optical drive such as a DVD or CD. Why not use more than one device? While it is more costly to get both set up and used, the advantages can justify the added expense. Using one drive and one type of media can be problematic if the drive fails. In the case of tape drives, this can be quite hazardous because tapes, if not stored properly, will fail over time. Other optional backup devices are internal physical hard drives, external drives, and networked hard drives.
Finally, if you are delaying data backup because of
budget constraints, consider what is more costly to
your business than losing critical data files. Create
and put a backup plan in motion. Use it every day. Instruct
all of your employees on the steps necessary to backup
your data files. The statistics speak for themselves,
and as a business owner, a good data backup system is
simply smart and inexpensive insurance. It will allow
your company to recover when computer disaster strikes.
Andrew Christiansen is a computer consultant for Computer Gurus. You may email hime at
Andrew@ComputerGurus.org or call him at 916-449-9590.
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