Vacation photos, favorite music, or important business documents: when data is lost because the hard drive has developed a defect, the frustration is immense. However, those who have taken precautions with regular backups don't need to panic. After all, the backed-up files can be migrated to a new storage device relatively quickly. But where should you actually store your backups: on an external hard drive or in cloud storage?
Backup: Cloud vs. Hard Drive
Creating comprehensive backups is straightforward on both Windows and macOS. On Windows, you can find the "Backup" option under Settings -> Update & Security. Here you can select a drive on which to create your backup. On macOS, the feature is called "Time Machine." The disadvantage of backups on external hard drives: if they suffer damage, data could be lost.
Important: The external storage device (HDD or SSD) should be stored safely and protected from external factors such as vibration, overheating, and drops. Creating backups on two separately stored external hard drives also increases security.
Cloud Solutions for Backups
As an alternative to local data backup, important files can be stored with a cloud provider such as Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, or Google Drive. If you want full control over your data, you can also use a NAS as a personal cloud server. The disadvantage here: cloud storage is better suited for individual files and automatic synchronization across multiple devices. However, because you have permanent write access to the cloud, files could be accidentally deleted or moved. An external hard drive offers more security in this regard.
Cloud storage works excellently in combination with other cloud solutions (e.g., the Office 365 suite) for collaboration in businesses. Documents can be edited collaboratively within the cloud. This eliminates the need to send or separately store files. Nevertheless, we recommend creating regular backups of cloud storage on a local storage device (external hard drive or NAS).
Automating Backups
Both backups on external hard drives and backups with Dropbox and similar services can be automated. The rule here is: the more files that are created or processed, the more frequently backups should be performed. Manual backups, on the other hand, are easily forgotten.
Option 3: Online Backups
With providers like Backblaze and Carbonite, you receive software that automatically stores backups in an external data center. If data loss occurs, the files can simply be downloaded. Alternatively, you can request a storage device that is shipped to you by mail. What initially sounds like the best backup solution still has a small catch: if you intentionally or accidentally delete files from your local storage, the data is often also deleted at the online provider (e.g., after 30 days).
Tip: Backups on a partition of the hard drive are not a good idea for preventing data loss. If a defect occurs, the files are still lost - at least initially.
Our Conclusion: Combine Backups
Ideally, you should combine a backup on an external storage device with a backup at an online provider or in the cloud. If data recovery needs to happen quickly, you can use the local backup on the hard drive. In the event of major damage (water damage, fire, lightning strike) where the external storage device was also damaged, the online backup can be accessed.
Data Recovery in Case of Data Loss
If no backup was created or the storage device containing the backup is damaged, data can often still be recovered. For logical errors such as accidental deletion, free recovery tools can sometimes achieve results. For physical defects, which may be indicated by clicking or clacking noises from the hard drive, professional data recovery is needed. Defective components are replaced or repaired in a cleanroom. Data is read using individually programmed software that can "skip" critical hard drive areas, thereby protecting sensitive components.
Regardless of your chosen backup strategy: in an emergency, we are at your side with professional data recovery. Our experts can recover data from defective hard drives, SSDs, and other storage media.
Contact us at 0800-881 12 25 (free, available 24/7) for a free initial consultation.
Lars Müller