Backup or Archive: Which is Right for You?
From accidentally clicking a nefarious link or accidentally deleting something to losing your phone or spilling your morning coffee on your laptop, one mistake can erase your data forever. Data loss can result in heartache when precious memories are lost and frustration when personal healthcare, financial and other important information goes missing.
How to protect your data
Because digital data plays such a big role in our personal lives, a comprehensive cybersecurity plan to protect information is no longer a nice to have, it is a necessity. That's where backup and archiving solutions come in.
They help keep your data safe from loss or corruption while ensuring that you can always access the data you need.
What's the difference between backup and archiving?
In the simplest terms, backups make copies of your data to keep it safe from disasters or accidents while archiving puts data in long-term storage.
Backup is the process of creating a copy of your data, which can be used to restore the original data in case of loss from ransomware or a lost device. The main goal of backup is to ensure that you don't lose any of your important files, photos, home videos and more. Backup solutions are usually automatic and can be used to protect data across all your devices and can be implemented using cloud services or on-premises software.
On the other hand, archiving is the process of moving data to a separate location for long-term storage. Archived data is typically accessed less frequently, but still important enough to be retained. Some use archiving to store scrapbooks or childhood photos – things they don’t look through very often. Archiving solutions are usually manually done and are designed to store data in a cost-effective manner, while still allowing for easy retrieval and searchability when needed.
Which solution is right for you?
The answer depends on how accessible and secure you want your data to be. If you want to ensure that your important information is never lost, a backup solution may be the best fit for you. Backup solutions can provide a quick way to restore any data in case of an emergency, ensuring that you can continue with your personal life as if nothing happened.
On the other hand, if you have files that you don't need to access all the time, but that you still want to save long-term, an archiving solution may be the better fit. Archiving solutions can help you save space on your computer or phone by moving those files that you don't use regularly to a secure, cost-effective storage location.
In the end, the right solution for you will depend on your specific needs and requirements, and sometimes it may be both. That's why it's important to choose a reliable service that can help you create the best cybersecurity plan for you.
At Carbonite, an OpenText company, we offer a range of backup solutions like Carbonite® Safe. Our solutions are designed to meet the needs of users of all levels, from casual users to people who heavily rely on data security. Whether you want to back up important financial information or archive your old photos, we can help.
