Cloud Backup: We'll show you 10 essential tips you should follow to ensure your backup is stored securely and can be restored at any time.
Online backup is becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason. Thanks to fast internet connections, it has never been easier to transfer large amounts of data to cloud backup in a short time. But what should you look out for? Learn what to consider when choosing a cloud backup provider.
Data protection laws differ from country to country. While authorities in Switzerland cannot obtain data information without evidence of a crime, US authorities can obtain it based on mere suspicion. If you want to ensure that only you can read your data in cloud backup, you should familiarize yourself with the data protection regulations of the country where the backup provider is located.
A good cloud backup provider offers you the option to encrypt your data with a password that only you know. Make sure you can encrypt your data with a peer-reviewed encryption algorithm (e.g., AES). Specifically, you should avoid relying on proprietary encryption, as its security hasn't been proven, unlike AES & Co.
To be as flexible as possible when creating your backup, your backup software should support a variety of backup sources. Besides hard drives and USB sources, you should ensure that any network sources (e.g., NAS devices) can also be included in the backup.
In case of emergency, it's advantageous if your restores can be done in various - and especially fast - ways. For restoration, you should ensure that depending on the backup size, even a Large Scale Recovery - which means receiving a physical data carrier with your data from the cloud backup provider - is offered. This is particularly important if your backup exceeds a certain size.
Before purchasing, inquire about the available support channels. Often, a quick call is enough to see how fast you can get an employee on the phone. Having excellent support pays off especially when something goes wrong, and then it's worth double.
The software used by the provider is crucial, as it's often developed by a third party. If possible, try to test the online backup service before purchasing to see if the software is up-to-date in terms of look and feel. This way, you can directly sense whether the backup software is well-maintained and frequently updated. This can otherwise become problematic after a few years when compatibility with new operating systems becomes an issue.
Cloud backup providers have different pricing models, often based on the number of devices included in the backup. This can become expensive if you add a NAS, computer, etc. in the future.
Data protection regulations ensure that your data doesn't fall into the wrong hands unintentionally. Here, I want to specifically address the point of data sharing. This is regulated and controlled differently in various countries. It's possible that your email address could end up with a spam email distributor after signing up for a trial.
Calculate the size of your backup and check your internet connection speed. Then you can use a speed calculator (for example here) to calculate approximately how long your backup transfer will take.
A backup is usually something you want to maintain continuously over the years. Classic retention periods are 3, 5, 10, and sometimes even 20 years. This can be crucial if memories from the past are no longer in the backup set but you want to restore them.
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