How To Backup A Computer To The Cloud

how-to-choose-cloud-backup1 For most of us the data on our PC’s is irreplaceable, especially files such as photos and videos. Thankfully, there are many pieces of software and hardware that have allowed us to be able to backup our data just in case the PC suffers from some form of problem which causes you to lose your data. However, it’s very easy to lose external hard drives or for them to suffer a fatal error, which is where the Cloud comes in.

The cloud is perfect for backing up your data as there are so many options, most of them not costing you a penny. The benefit of backing up to the cloud is that you don’t have to worry about losing your data as it’s safely stored on the internet and with high speed broadband in most households, it won’t take as long as you’d first think.

When looking for Cloud based software which will backup your data, there are a few things you want to look for:

How much space do you get?
How much does it cost?
How automated is the process?
Can I access my files anywhere?

If you’re mainly backing up documents then you won’t need tons of space, but videos and photos are a different story. Services such as Dropbox offer you a free package where you get 2 GB’s completely free. This is enough space for thousands of documents or hundreds of photos and videos. They also give you an extra 250mb for ever person you refer to Dropbox.

If you’re serious about backing up and have a lot of files, then it’s worth paying that little bit extra for your cloud backup services. You can get a decent package on a very reputable site such as JustCloud for prices as cheap as $3 a month.

Two Backup Types

There are mainly two different types on cloud backup systems, ones that work in the background and ones which require the user to do a few things. If you share your files with other people, then having a system which is automated is brilliant. Most of the time it works by having a folder on your PC which is synced with the backup server and all the other computers logged into the same account. If you’re the only one who needs access to this backup and only need to backup certain files, then a manual system is more suited to you.

The Cloud Is Mobile

Many backup services offer a mobile app or a mobile website, which is great if you want to access your data whilst you’re on the move. Some also offer a web application so you can access from a different computer without needing to install any software. These are important features to look out for.
Once you’ve chosen the right software for you, then it’s important to know what you’re doing when backing up your data. It’s no use installing the software; backing up once and then forgetting to backup ever again, get into a routine. It’s best to backup your files every time you use your computer, but at least 3 times a week would be good enough.

Secondary Backup?

Make sure you keep a copy of your files on your hard drive too and don’t just rely on the internet alone as you may find yourself without internet one day and you won’t have access to your files. If you’re running a large backup, make sure you have a good connection to the internet as you don’t want it to cut out during the backup causing you to start again.

If you constantly find yourself running out of space on your backup system, then it’s probably worth taking a look at their paid options. Or, have a cleanup of your backup files. Automated backup software will sometimes backup data you didn’t want to as you may have accidently saved it in the wrong place, this is very common as the automated process runs completely in the background, so you’d be oblivious to any mistakes.

Be sure to compare all of our top rated cloud services on our compare chart.