What, exactly, do most people want to back up these days? And how do the various choices compare? Over the next few posts I'll see if I can interleave my experiences with Linux (which I have been meaning to do for eons) and the nitty-gritty of backups.
Some basic things for you to consider in doing backups, though...
1. Trust no one.
There are more issues here than you would think. You cannot trust a third party to keep your data inviolate, so encrypt it yourself. Or, ensure that the third party uses a well-known crypto algorithm and your pass(word/phrase) is secure. BUT! You cannot trust the third party to be in business forever either - even the largest banks can fail (taking your safe deposit box with it). Redundancy is the key here too. Are there other ways you must trust no one? That depends on what you are backing up and who you are using. Take time to consider the various scenarios.
2. Make the computer work for you.
Computers are stupid, but fairly deterministic (predictable). If you tell them to do stuff, they will usually do it. So automate your backups and tests! There are a number of ways you can ensure that your backups are tested by the computer automatically, so get that done. But remember: Trust no one - do it yourself every once in a while as well.
3. Nothing lasts forever.
Not even diamonds, no matter what Shirley Bassey tries to tell you. In a home/small office context, archival tape might be a bit overkill (but they will last for decades under proper storage conditions), so you may have to make do with other storage media. Just remember to copy them off every 2 years or so.
Some basic things for you to consider in doing backups, though...
1. Trust no one.
There are more issues here than you would think. You cannot trust a third party to keep your data inviolate, so encrypt it yourself. Or, ensure that the third party uses a well-known crypto algorithm and your pass(word/phrase) is secure. BUT! You cannot trust the third party to be in business forever either - even the largest banks can fail (taking your safe deposit box with it). Redundancy is the key here too. Are there other ways you must trust no one? That depends on what you are backing up and who you are using. Take time to consider the various scenarios.
2. Make the computer work for you.
Computers are stupid, but fairly deterministic (predictable). If you tell them to do stuff, they will usually do it. So automate your backups and tests! There are a number of ways you can ensure that your backups are tested by the computer automatically, so get that done. But remember: Trust no one - do it yourself every once in a while as well.
3. Nothing lasts forever.
Not even diamonds, no matter what Shirley Bassey tries to tell you. In a home/small office context, archival tape might be a bit overkill (but they will last for decades under proper storage conditions), so you may have to make do with other storage media. Just remember to copy them off every 2 years or so.
