Did you know that 67% of data loss is due to hard disk drive (HDD) crashes?
Even if you have the best computer possible, there’s always the slight chance that one day, its hard drive will randomly crash. And when that happens, you just might lose everything you have on there.
Yes, taking good care of your computer can help prevent data loss. But that isn’t foolproof.
Instead, you should be proactive and back up files online. That way, if your device crashes, all you have to do is go online and pull your files. No harm, no foul.
But how do you even back up files on the internet? We’ll show you how in this article.
Transfer Files to an External Hard Drive
We know this article is on backing files up online, but this is also important. The best plan to have is to have multiple backups in different media. So one of these should be an external hard drive.
There are many affordable external hard drives on the market, so it shouldn’t cost you much to get one. You can even use a USB drive if you’re on a tight budget.
In any case, you’ll want to regularly back up your files by transferring copies onto your external hard drive or USB stick. An external hard drive can still fail, just like your computer’s can, but at least you have 2 (or more) copies of your data to rely on.
Back up on the Cloud
The cloud sounds like some kind of futuristic device, but it’s actually been around since the 1960s. However, it’s only fairly recently that cloud services have become more accessible and affordable for the regular consumer.
Basically, you sign up for a cloud storage service to gain access to the cloud. You can then upload pretty much anything you want and they’ll store it for you.
What’s great about the cloud is that you can transfer things onto the cloud whenever you want, as well as put them back on your original device or transfer them to another one.
However, there are some drawbacks to cloud storage.
For one, they can be hacked. So you want to be mindful of what you put on the cloud. If hackers are successful, they can potentially gain access to things like explicit photos or trade secrets.
Also, if the company goes out of business, you’ll lose access to all your files.
As you can see, backup options all have their pros and cons, which is why it’s so important to use multiple data backups.
Cloud Services Available
When it comes to how to back up files online, you need to choose reliable and trusthworthy service providers. Here are some to consider.
Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft is one of the most well-known names in the world, so it makes sense that you can trust them with your data. If you’re already using a PC, as well as Outlook.com, then OneDrive can be a fantastic solution.
Their free service offers 5 GB, but that can be hugely expanded if you pay. You can get up to 6 TB of storage space spread across 30 devices.
Not only that, but by buying OneDrive storage, you can also get Microsoft 365 if you don’t already have it. If you do, then each user gets an additional 1 TB of space.
Naturally, this integrates with pretty much all Microsoft and PC programs. However, it’s also integrated with some non-Microsoft things, such as AutoCAD.
Google Drive
Google is also another trusted name in the industry, so this is definitely a serious contender.
Free accounts get 15 GB of storage space, while paid users can get up to 2 TB across an unlimited number of devices.
Android users benefit most from Google Drive because it’s already integrated into their devices. However, Apple and other OS users can certainly still benefit from this cloud storage provider.
IDrive
You may not have heard of them, but they’re actually a pretty well-established name when it comes to cloud storage.
The free tier gives you 5 GB while paid accounts get up to 5 TB across an unlimited number of devices.
You can get up to 30 older versions of files saved on your account. In addition, if you accidentally delete a file, you can recover it from the cloud.
If you’re backing up photos, then IDrive definitely wins out. This is because they have a facial recognition feature, which means it can automatically reorganize your images and sync them in an order that makes sense.
The best part of IDrive is their IDrive Express service. If you experience data loss, then they’ll actually mail you a hard drive with your backed up files on it. As a result, you’ll be able to promptly recover the files you lost.
For business owners, you should also know that they offer IDrive Business. This gives you priority support and unlimited users, as well as up to 12.5 TB of storage space.
Know How to Back up Files Online
Your computer or laptop will inevitably break down one day, which you can remedy by buying a new device. However, if the crash is bad enough, you’ll lose everything on it and won’t be able to recover data from your hard drive.
To mitigate your losses, you should always back up files online. By doing so, you can recover quickly not only from HDD crashes, but also from loss or theft of your device, as well as cyberattacks.
Backing up your files is vital for anyone, regardless of if the files are company secrets or treasured family photos. So make sure you put the information in this article to good use and keep your data safe!
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