You can never have too many backups. A standard backup plan should follow the “3-2-1” rule; have at least three copies of your important files, keep them on at least two different media, and store one of them offsite.
The offsite copy will usually be with a backup service provider on the Internet.
With critically important files that don’t change very often, an additional copy provides extra insurance. This can take the form of an external disk drive, a USB stick, or a DVD-ROM that you lock away in a safe place away from your installation. A disk drive gives the most storage but costs more; a DVD or USB stick is less expensive and easy to store in a small space.
- Since the point of this is to store the device offsite, you should always encrypt it.
- Make sure to save the decryption key, but don’t store it with the device.
- Label your backup.
- For a DVD, use a CD-safe marker; some markers can damage the disc, which is most vulnerable on the label side.
All devices have a limited life, even with good storage. Keep the backup in a place that won’t get too hot, cold, or humid. Don’t count on its lasting more than five years. Send a note to your future self to copy it to new media after four years.
Choose your files carefully for this. You can’t usefully store anything that’s subject to change this way, but it can help to guarantee that you won’t lose critical documents even if everything else goes wrong.
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