Crack open the champagne, bring out the cakes… today’s World Backup Day, and it’s time to celebrate backups! Excited? We know we are!

Backups themselves might be a little uninspiring, but the things they save definitely aren’t, so we’ve come up with 7 great reasons to store your data this World Backup Day – keep reading for more!

Win a 2-disk QNAP TS-251 NAS and a Backblaze subscription!

Because we know your files are worth keeping safe, we’re running our first major competition in honor of World Backup Day 2016. You’ll be in with a chance of winning a year-long Backblaze subscription, and a 2-disk QNAP TS-251 – a top of the range NAS that will let you store and share files from all of your network devices in your own personal Cloud.

You can check out our terms and conditions for the small print, and use the box below to find out all of the ways you can enter. The competition ends on the 30th of April, so get clicking! Good luck!

World Backup Day Celebration



7 great reasons to store your data this World Backup Day

1 – Because the statistics say so

Backups are catching on in a big way – and for good reason as, in 2016, it’s a lot easier to lose a digital file than a paper one. Hard drive failure, accidental deletion, software corruption and viruses are all major sources of potentially disastrous data loss, and a staggering 140,000 hard drives crash every week in the US alone.

On top of that, according to the ‘Treacherous 12 Cloud Security Threats’ list compiled by the Cloud Security Alliance in 2016, data loss is the eighth biggest challenge to Cloud-based data this year – posing a real threat to anyone that’s not keeping multiple copies of their information on hand for emergencies. With millions of people around the world today opting in on backup and Cloud storage solutions, however, resistance is building – so why take the risk?

2 – Because digital files deserve love too

Personal computers today aren’t just tools for working and keeping in touch – they’re also our boxes in the attic, full of digital heirlooms passed down since the olden days of Windows ‘98.

Whether it’s a message from an old friend that you’ve forwarded on to every new email address, forgotten photos from a favourite holiday, or an essay that you worked on all night, backups help you keep personal treasures safe.

3 – Because it might just save your business

Does this sound a little dramatic? Trust us, it’s not. When your company is built on data stored in company servers, keeping the contents of those servers safe and secure is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that your business survives.

Think we’re exaggerating?

An ICT report by the British Chamber of Commerce showed that 93% of businesses that experience data loss for over ten days file for bankruptcy within a year of the event, with 50% of them filing immediately.

60% of these companies close within 6 months.

But data loss doesn’t affect that many businesses, does it?

Well…

According to Symantec’s ‘Avoiding the Hidden Costs of the Cloud’ report, 47% of enterprises questioned had previously restored significant amounts of lost data from the Cloud, with the figure sitting at 37% for small businesses. Adding to that, Richmond House Group also observed that 20% of SMBs suffer a major loss of data every five years.

They’re some pretty serious statistics, particularly given that the data at stake lays the groundwork for your entire company’s operations. Give it some thought.

4 – Because it could help you dodge the snoopers

It’s been hard to miss the data security debate that’s been raging back and forth between governments, security agencies, corporations, and the general public since Edward Snowden brought the issue exploding into the public eye in 2013.

While it’s undeniable that creating and transferring information online makes you particularly vulnerable to snoopers, there are plenty of backup solutions such as SpiderOak, SOS, CrashPlan and MEGA that make your data privacy their top priority. So if you want to move files around on the net and like the idea that they’ll be protected by top-notch encryption algorithms while you do it, online backups are a very smart way to go.

5 – Because time is precious, and money is too

If you lose data that you haven’t backed up, it will either need to be replaced, which can be horribly time-intensive, or restored using data recovery methods; which are often unreliable.

For personal users, getting back lost files involves running data recovery software such as EaseUS and Seagate – which can be effective, but is hit-or-miss regarding how much of your original data you’ll actually get back. You can of course also enlist some professional help though this will, of course, only be available for a fee.

Businesses have more extensive recovery options available, but of course these come with even larger price tags – and in both cases, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get your files back for good.

Backing up your data is a much more reliable alternative to data recovery – working as a preventative measure, rather than a cure. Fortunately, there are plenty of affordable backup solutions available too – from making a one-off investment in a reliable external hard drive to paying out for an online backup service. With providers such as CrashPlan, IDrive and Backblaze all offering subscriptions for a maximum of $5 per month, it’s a small charge now that could save you big bucks in the long run.

For an idea of exactly how much different data storage solutions will set you back, take a look at our guide to the real cost of backing up your data.

6 – Because backups help to lighten the load

Whether you’re studying, freelancing or working on shared projects in the office, being able to collaborate and easily share files with colleagues and clients can make hitting targets and deadlines much easier.

Services like Google Drive, Dropbox and Box all focus heavily on providing work-friendly options that let you edit files in real time and perform secure and controlled file sharing, without having to rely on emails or physically moving files around on USB drives.

7 – Because who doesn’t have a smartphone anymore?!

As more and more people turn to tablets, iPads and smartphones for everyday use, it’s not just your laptop that you need to keep backed up.

Fortunately, almost 60% of the providers we’ve reviewed so far allow you to backup from multiple devices for no extra charge, whether you’re using Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, or a combination of the lot. You’ll also find half of them offering Linux support too (not to mention plenty of Linux-specific backup programs), so techy types can keep their data safe as well.

We think there’s a pretty good argument for getting into the swing of things this World Backup Day. Backups aren’t fun, but they’re very important – and once you’ve got one, the required input is pretty minimal. So check out our Ultimate Online Backup Guide if you’re just getting started, head over to our reviews page to learn about the best providers, or just take the plunge and protect your data today!