Do you ever have a backup plan? How about an alternative for a picnic in case it rains? Do you have a way to get your grandchild’s pictures if you drop your smartphone in the sink filled with water or run over it with the car?
Your pictures and your documents are at risk if there is only one copy. Smartphones, tablets, and computers fail, are lost, or are damaged. And sometimes those events destroy the data, too. If you don’t have a backup, those pictures or documents may not be recovered.
Backing up your devices doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Smartphones usually have remote storage called “cloud” storage available. A modest amount is included on Android and Apple phones. Additional storage is available for both and is very inexpensive. At a minimum, all your pictures and videos should be backed up there.
Tablets have essentially the same storage as smartphones. If you have an Apple phone and an Apple tablet, they can both access the same cloud storage. That is the same with Android phones and Android tablets, though it can be a little more complicated.
Computers are also able to have cloud backups. The services can be from Google (Google Drive), Microsoft (OneDrive), or Amazon. They can also be backed up automatically using paid services like Carbonite or IDrive.
You can also purchase an external USB hard drive to back up your computer. The prices are very reasonable, and many come with a backup utility already installed. A major advantage of this approach is that recovering lost data is quick. One disadvantage is the backup is subject to the same external threats as your computer like storm damage to your home.
Regardless of your approach, you need to have a backup plan for the important things on your devices. The small cost and limited effort will be worth it when you realize a failed device has destroyed those memories. (No pun intended.)
My approach is one step beyond that. I have multiple cloud backups, both free and paid. All the cloud services are automatic and require no action on my part. I also have an external hard drive used frequently to back up all the computers we have.
Better safe than sorry!
Jarren Ringle is a member of SourcePoint and a volunteer instructor. He teaches various technology classes throughout the year. Jarren also volunteers at the Delaware County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. With many years of project management experience in various technology fields, he enjoys helping others with technology.