If you are a home-based professional, there’s a good chance that you think of your computer as an essential piece of work equipment. Whether you telecommute or you create work products at home and submit them over the internet to your boss in another state or halfway across the world, you rely on your computer to help you get the job done. It is scary to think about what this could mean for your business if, for example, you wake up one morning to discover that your computer will not turn on. It is not unplugged, it is not sleeping, and it just won’t turn on no matter how hard you press that power button.
Computers can and do fail, but thankfully there is something that you can do to keep your data safe. You may already have a system in place for backing up your data to cds or an external hard drive. You may even store your backed up data in a fire-safe box. You may not have any back-up of your data at all. Whatever your current back-up plan (or lack thereof) is, it may be time to reassess it. Online backup is now available through many different providers, and the pricing can be reasonable if you shop around.
Before you go directly to searching for the least expensive online backup that you can find, take some time to write down what you need as far as storage capacity and other features. Pricing for online backups can vary depending upon what features and storage capacity you select. Also, read all of the information carefully to be sure that you choose a product that fits your needs. Most online backup providers have software that runs on your computer, so make sure that it is something that is relatively unobtrusive and easy to use. Learn about how each provider handles initial setup, because that first backup encompasses all of your data and can take quite a while. Find out how easy it is to get back files that you delete by accident – not all providers handle deleted files the same way. Some online backup providers may even offer a free trial, which is a great way to test drive a service to see if it works for your business. If you rely on your computer for work, online backup can keep your data safe. You can get a new computer if the one that you are using stops working, but it is difficult if not impossible to replace some of that precious data that is hanging out in your hard drive.