Data Backup

Even a brand new, top of the range computer can lose data if something goes wrong. There are a large number of occurences which could cause information to be wiped from your machine's memory. Simple hardware failure or user error can cause files to be deleted. If your PC or laptop is damaged or stolen, retrieving the data that was stored in is likely to prove impossible. Computer viruses can delete or corrupt information.

Prevention is better than cure, and you should always take steps to avoid any of these things from happening, such as setting up anti-virus software on your machine. But data loss is never completely unavoidable, and the best defence is to make sure your data is fully backed up on a regular basis and kept in a safe place separately from your computer.

Fortunately, there are several ways you can avoid losing your files:

Data Storage Device
One of the simplest ways to keep your data backed up is to regularly download files to a separate device, such as a disk or USB stick. Make sure you backup a file whenever you make any changes, so the information is kept up to date. You should store your data storage devices somewhere safe and secure away from the computer so that any disaster that effects the computer does not damage your data backups as well. Data storage devices can become corrupted or damaged themselves.

Data Recovery
In some cases, a computer technician can retrieve data from your computer in the event of hardware failure. However there is no guarantee of this and not all of the information may be recoverable. It is always better to have your files fully backed up before any data loss should occur.

Offsite Data Backup
Keeping your data backed up to a secure offsite location is the safest and surest way of making sure your data cannot be lost irretrievably. Your data is regularly backed up over the Internet to a secure data storage centre. This normally happens automatically, so you don't even have to think about it. This ensures that, whatever happens at the location of your computer, the data you have stored can be easily retrieved and downloaded to another machine if necessary.