backup

Backups: Be Ready for Anything

14 June 2011 By Saran

Backing up your files is a routine practice that most people fail to appreciate at times. Well for one, it takes an instance where sudden system malfunctions or intrusions to learn the value of having properly backed up files for people to appreciate its routine. Normally, thanks to the strict and professional efforts that assigned information technology personnel, common users rarely have to worry about losing their work and saved files since these people in the front end, already make sure that any untoward intrusions or risks can even enter their computer network and workstations.

Regardless though, all computer users are encouraged to make sure that they maintain separate data backup files for security reasons. Experiencing such issues where your computer suddenly goes on the blink is a serious issue that may even lead you to cram and worry since in most cases, losing important files such as reports and documents can hamper you and your role in the standard operations of carrying out work.

So while it does seem like such an effort points to nonsense. But while that may seem the case for now, it is by no means a reason for anyone to take it easy and take backups for granted. It is a routine task and while many don’t do it regularly, such people should not leave such a task entirely to the responsibility of the IT people.

Besides, knowing how confidential some files are, being assisted once or twice is enough. But over that is already a sign of laziness and for sure is a clear sign that these people have no intentions of adding that task to their list of duties and responsibilities.

Archiving Past Year Databases

21 February 2007 By Saran

The operations of any company would stem from compiled years of operation, the data of which would usually be stored in the system that is in implementation. But creating historical databases, implementing cut-off dates as well, is a practice that most administrators must focus on. For one, the enormous amount of data a database would have will need to be archived at some point so as to identify cut-off dates and make room for new data and transactions that any company should expect every time.

All storage devices need to be backed up periodically. The amount of data that a system and its servers can hold will always be defined. There may come a point when enormous encoded data may become too much for application servers wherein upgrading hardware is not always the option.

Cleaning storage data and keeping at least the current fiscal year’s transactions is a good way to make a cut-off date for reference data.

[tags]archiving, backup, storage devices[/tags]

Back Up Files for Added Security

21 December 2006 By Saran

At the rate that hackers and more people are becoming wiser as far as discovering technology and its flaws today, the best way is to have ready back-up procedures for databases and important documents and spreadsheets just in case of system intrusion and crashes. While it is true that most companies are continuously developing software to be able to limit such malicious intentions, it cannot be discounted that the safest way is to have ready back-ups which can be easily restored at any time of their liking.

The question is when to back-up and what to back up. For most people, backing up periodically is the common practice. But for more important documents and reference materials, archiving them as often as possible is the safest way to be sure. People should not wait for the last minute to back-up their files since with the fast pace of technology comes the fast pace development of hackers today.

[tags]backup,archiving,network security[/tags]

How you backup is important too

19 October 2006 By Saran

Back up frequently and often. That was a personal mantra in the days when system crashes, virus infections, and floppy disks. These days I still follow it, by burning files onto CDs; it’s better to have duplicates of the same file rather than losing them by a careless press of the button. Here are a few tips to help you while making a data backup.

A good thing to remember while backing up is to avoid proprietary file formats. These are formats that are copyrighted to a specific company, like .doc from Microsoft. It may seem unimportant at first, but it can spell a lot of difference. The extra knobs and frills added to your files as formatting can render it unreadable by other programs. Though this problem isn’t very common these days since most applications now try to give support to the most common file formats, it still happens. Better to be safe than sorry about that project you’ve been slaving to finish for weeks. In the case of large graphics I’d recommend saving in a format where image elements or layers can be separate from each other. After each major change, save a copy of the new image separately, just in case you have to go back and alter a completely different thing. It’ll save you from a major headache later. If the large file size daunts you, compress it and label with the date and what version it is. It can shrink by up to a quarter of the original file size. That way you know which zip, rar, or tar contains the image you’re looking for.

Speaking of file compressions, if you want to backup your data in compressed files, make sure to organize your files logically before tarring and zipping. I have to sort my files weekly to make sure my documents and pictures are in the right folders. I have my articles, personal e-mails, blogs, and images in separate folders, so that once I compress them I know where everything went. Label each clearly; this applies to CDs and any backup file you make. I still find zips and CD backups from two years ago in my computer, named only with the date I made them, and I have no clue what they contain. Spare yourself the trouble of opening and checking every one of them.

[tags]security, backup, tips[/tags]