· 3 min read
A simple backup plan for a home or a small office
Hard drives fail, laptops get stolen and ransomware happens. A backup you never have to think about costs little and takes an hour to set up.
Backup and data recovery
Photos, documents and business records backed up automatically and tested, and help getting files back when there was no backup.
Everyone agrees that backups matter, and most people find out that theirs is not working on the day they need it. A backup is only worth having if it runs by itself, keeps older versions, keeps one copy somewhere else, and has been tested. We set it up so that all four are true, and then you can stop thinking about it.
Setting up a backup
We follow the 3-2-1 rule: three copies of anything that matters, on two kinds of storage, with one copy off the premises.
- An external drive using the backup tool built into your computer, File History or Time Machine, keeping older versions of your files
- An online backup service that runs in the background and covers fire, theft and ransomware
- Encryption on both, so that a lost drive does not mean lost privacy
- A written note of what is backed up, where it goes, and how to get it back
For a small office
- Backup of wherever the shared files actually live: the server, the network storage box or the cloud service
- Backup for Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace mailboxes and files, which are not protected in the way most people assume
- One named person who checks that the backups ran, and a simple way for them to check
- Restore instructions that someone other than the person who set it up can follow
Testing
A backup that has never been restored is a hope. We test by restoring real files, and we show you how to do the same, so that you know it works and you know what to do on a bad day.
Getting files back
- Files deleted by mistake, or overwritten by an older version
- Computers that will not start, where the drive is still readable
- Drives that are no longer recognized
- Photos on memory cards and phones
- Old computers that were put in a closet years ago, with the only copy of something important on them
We will tell you plainly what the chances are before you spend anything. Where a specialist laboratory is the only realistic route, we will say so.
Before a computer leaves the house
If you are replacing a computer, we make sure everything has been moved and backed up, and then wipe the old one properly, so that your files do not leave with it.
What this covers
- Automatic backup for PCs, Macs and cloud accounts
- Restores tested, not just assumed
- Help recovering files when there was no backup
Common questions
My drive has failed and I have no backup. Can the files be recovered?
Often, yes. If the computer will not start but the drive still works, the files can usually be copied off. If the drive itself has failed, it may need a specialist recovery laboratory, which is costly and not guaranteed. In either case, stop using the drive now, because every attempt to start it can make recovery harder.
I use OneDrive or iCloud. Is that a backup?
It helps, but it is not the whole answer. Sync services copy deletions and ransomware damage just as faithfully as your work, and they keep old versions only for a limited time. A real backup keeps older versions for as long as you choose, separately from your working files.
How often should backups be checked?
Test a restore at least twice a year, and look at the date of the last successful backup every month. The most common failure we see is a backup that quietly stopped running long ago.
What does a backup cost to run?
For a household, an external drive plus an online backup service costs less per month than a streaming subscription. Our guide to choosing an external drive covers what to buy.
Related advice
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· 4 min read
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Ready to talk?
Tell us what is going on, or what you would like to set up, and we will get back to you, usually within one business day.