I was just talking to one of our editors here at SiliconAngle about website downtime when Google Drive started to act up. I have a whole lot of files there and I need to be able to access them, today.  Good thing Google Drive came back after mabout 10 minutes. But what if it didn’t? What if, for some hypothetical inscrutable reason Google Drive is down for an entire day?

Good thing I am a back-up nut. I have integrated regular back-ups into my daily routine because I write a great deal and I can’t risk losing access to my work, stored in the cloud. While performing routine back-up may sound like a daunting task, it’s not really that difficult if you’ve got a strategy on how to systematically do it.  Here are some tips to help you take an orderly approach to your back-up process, without getting confused and taking up too much time.

Keep Your Work Organized

In order for you to easily locate the right files and folders to back-up, keep your work organized. Avoid vague folder names  like “Yesterday” or “Write-ups.”  Keep folder names as concise as possible, limiting their length while keeping them descriptive.  This simple and preemptive step will save you a great deal of time and effort in the long run.

Devise a Back-up Schedule

Not everyone loves to do back-up, and even fewer like to do so every day. This is why you have to pick a day that’s most convenient for you, preferably once a week. Normally the weekend is most suitable, but that still depends largely on your schedule. Just pick a time that’s fitting, and if you are still unwilling to do it weekly, at least do so once a month.

Choose the right Cloud Storage

I like storing my files on portable hard drives because they are very mobile and convenient. Still, nothing beats cloud back-up services such as Dropbox. My house could burn down to the ground but my files will still be somewhere safe and sound. And not to mention, cloud back-up services cost much less.

Have at Least Two Copies in Separate Locations

That being said, I wouldn’t advise keeping your back-up on your computer, or in your basement. Ok, maybe one in your basement. But really, your best option is to back-up files in two separate cloud storage services. That way, you can access them anytime, anywhere as you please, even if your house or office has already burned down to the ground. Here’s a list of online doc management and back-up services that are available for free!

A Little Diligence Won’t Hurt

Back-up is effective only if you keep it up. Therefore, you have to be religious in following the back-up schedule that you made yourself. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

photo credit: victoriabernal via photopin cc