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How Often Should I Back Up My System? What Options are Available to Me?
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Backing Up Your System
How Often Should I Back Up My Machine?
The answer to this question really depends upon how much data you are willing to lose. Keep the following in mind:
- Most backup systems offer "Full" and "Incremental" backups. Performing a full backup takes a lot
of time, but if you have to completely reinstall your system, this provides the shortest path.
Incremental backups are fast, but if you rely on them and need to recover
the entire system, you will need to recover using the last full backup
and all the intervening incremental backups.
- Running an occasional Full backup and frequent Incremental backups
provides the best balance of protection and speed.
- You may not know immediately whether you've been broken into. Keeping a couple of months of backups will allow you to recover data that may have been damaged weeks ago.
What Files Should I Back Up?
This will vary depending on the user. It is recommended that you backup anything that cannot be easily restored if you were to lose the contents of your hard drive. Some suggestions are:
- Contents of your "Documents" folder or wherever you save your work. For many, this might be the desktop or even a temporary folder.
- Music purchased from the internet;
- Photographs/pictures;
- Software purchased and downloaded from the internet (e.g., any software that you do not currently have on separate media);
- Email address books, web browser bookmarks.
What Options are Available to Me?
- IS&T offers and recommends a Network backup service. Tivoli
Storage Manager (TSM) lets you back up and restore files from/to
a secure server.
- TSM FAQ (including rates and requirements)
- TSM Backup Service Registration
- Outside of MIT: Users wishing to perform their own backups (to CD
or DVD) might find the following information helpful:
- Microsoft's Backup Basics for Windows Users
- Macintosh
- .Mac Support: Frequently Asked Questions about Backup
