What’s So Important About Regular Data Backups?

What’s So Important About Regular Data Backups?

Author:  Jeff Weeks, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer

World Backup Day is March 31, and it serves as a reminder about the significance of regular data backups. Backups are the safety net against data loss, which can be devastating. Regular backups ensure you have more current copies of your data when disaster caused by hardware failure, ransomware attacks, or accidental deletion strikes.

Here's a guide to help you understand why backups are crucial and how to effectively back up your data:

Why Data Backups Are Important

Losing important files can be catastrophic; backups can protect you from this. The more frequent your data backups, the less likely you will suffer a devastating loss. Below are considerations for the type of backup you may need.

Types of Data Backups

There are three primary types of backups:

• Full Backup: This involves copying all data and provides the most comprehensive protection and fastest recovery. However, full backups are time-consuming, require substantial storage space for warehousing the complete data volume, and consume significant network bandwidth during transfer.
• Incremental Backup: This backup only saves the data modified since the last full or incremental backup, reducing required storage space and shortening the backup duration. However, incremental backups are more challenging to restore because data must be pieced together from multiple backups. The restoration process is complex and involves multiple steps. Additionally, these backups are less reliable because the entire chain may be compromised if any intermediate backup is lost.
• Differential Backup: This process saves all changes made since the last full backup. It strikes a middle ground between full and incremental backups and provides more reliable restoration. This type of backup accumulates less data than full backups over time. However, differential backups require more storage space than incremental backups, take longer to perform, and are less space efficient due to the backup file size increasing until the next full backup.

Data Backup Storage Options

You can store your backups in various places, including:

• External Hard Drives: Portable and can store substantial amounts of data.
• Network Attached Storage (NAS): A dedicated device with its IP address serving as a personal cloud server.
• Cloud Storage Services: These services, such as Google Drive or iCloud, store your data online, allowing you to access it from anywhere.

How Often Should You Back Up?

The frequency of backups depends on how often your data changes. Daily backups may be necessary if you work on essential documents regularly. If your files are mostly static, weekly or monthly backups may suffice.

Test Your Data Backups

Periodically test your data backups to ensure that you can successfully restore your data.

Automate Your Data Backups

Automating regular data backups ensures they are happening without you remembering to do it.

Remember, data loss can happen to anyone. On World Backup Day, pledge to back up your data regularly and protect your digital life throughout the year.

Learn more protecting your data in our Customer Security and Fraud Prevention Center.

About the Author

Jeff has been with First National Bank of Omaha for more than 25 years and is currently the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer. The executive leadership and oversight provided by Jeff in the development, management, and execution of information security for FNBO enables the company’s ability to posture and protect private, personal information, and assets of the company’s clients, employees, and business partners.