This article from the Guardian about Francis Ford Coppola shows why a multi-layer backup plan is critical.
In 2007, Coppola’s office was broken into and his computer stolen. He had a backup, but it was sitting next to his computer and also taken by the thieves. Coppola was robbed of 15 years of computer.
Having a local backup is a great idea. If your computer dies, recovering large amounts of data with a local drive than trying to download it from the Internet.
An online backup service is an additional layer of protection. If my home was broken into or destroyed by fire, my family pictures and other documents would still be available through my online backups.
There are several online backup services. My favorite is Backblaze, for several reasons.
- All the files in your computer are backed up by default
- USB drives plugged into your computer can also be backed up
- Their pricing is affordable and easy to understand
- The software is a native client on all platforms and does not require Java
Start a free 30-day trial by going to the Backblaze website and installing the software.