Backup Recommended Data Backup and Storage
Best Practices
File Protection While Working
- It is recommended that you save your file every five
minutes. This is simply done by selecting the “File
Save” icon, or for most Microsoft applications pressing
in order the “Alt” then “F’ and
finally “S” (Alt-F-S).
- It is also recommended to save a new version of your
work periodically. Some industry analysts suggest as often
as every half hour, others put simply “create a
new version every time you realize that you do not want
to retype what you just finished. The thought here is
that if you were to lose your work, you might be able
to recreate it but typically it is never as good as the
first time you typed it.
- Versioning and version control can be as simple as
performing a “File / Save As” with the following
format for a filename: “filename vX.ext”,
where the ‘v’ indicates the version number
and the ‘X’ is the next consecutive number
(e.g. 1, then 2, then 3, etc.). When you perform file
maintenance on your computer this also helps assess which
of your multiple versions should be saved and which can
be considered working versions (e.g. lower version numbers)
and thus discarded.
- At the end of your working session it is good practice
to save to multiple media. Your hard disc drive is typically
considered you primary storage device. At the end of your
work day, save your work to your hard disc drive as you
normally would. In addition, save your work to a second
drive, such as a memory stick or CD. If one of the medias
become corrupt (e.g. hard disc failure) then you can always
restore your work from the other media (e.g. CD, etc.)
and have only lost a portion of a days work in the worst
case scenario.
Long Term File Protection and Use of OffSite Backup
- Data Backup Set Types: OffSite Backup recommends the
use of two of the three types of data backup sets; the
‘Full’ and the ‘Incremental’.
- Full Data Backup Set: OSB recommends that you use the
‘Full’ data backup set type on a weekly basis.
The full data backup will make a complete copy of all
the files you selected to be protected.
- Incremental Data Backup Set: OSB recommends that you
run an incremental data backup on a daily basis, thus
your maximum exposure to file loss is only one day. If
your data, or your business requires more protection,
thus more frequent data backups, we recommend performing
a ‘Full’ backup every other day and an ‘Incremental’
twice a day.
- Data Backup Set Naming Convention: OSB recommends the
following format naming convention when you create a new
data backup set. Include your name (or company name),
the type of backup (Full or Incremental), the periodicity
(Daily, Weekly, etc.) and the data grouping you are protecting,
if appropriate (e.g. Engineering files, Accounting files,
etc.). As an example: “OSB Weekly Full Accounting
Backup”, or “OSB Daily Incremental Business
Docs”.
- Multiple Data Backup Sets: We recommend you consider
making multiple data backup sets if your data set size
is very large (over 10 GB) or your connection time interferes
with the normal operation of your business (e.g. you have
a three shift operation). At OffSite Backup, our internal
practice is to backup all our accounting files in a separate
backup set from of company documents. We also use this
technique to separate our securely stored data by department
or functional group within the company.
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