Our New Year’s resolution is to make sure our clients’ data is backed up. Are you fully backed up? Are you sure?
We’ve just gone through a heartbreaking situation with one of our favorite clients. He thought he was backed up, but his backups hadn’t been running. And, sadly, his Mac malfunctioned, jeopardizing his critical business information.
We’re not trying to scare you. We just more than anything want to save you from the anguish you would suffer if you lost your business records or your family photos. It’s the worst part of our work when we have to tell someone that something important to them is gone.
Please get in touch with us to schedule an appointment so we can make sure that you are covered, no matter what your computer does.
Or, please take an hour to check your own backups this month by following these 5 steps:
1. Is your Time Machine backup up to date? Click the Time Machine icon — it looks like a clock with a counterclockwise arrow on the right side of the menu bar on your screen. It will show you your last backup date.
2. Choose an important file to restore out of the Time Machine. Do you know how to get a file from your backup if you need it? Were you able to get the file back?
3. We advise also having an offsite backup, in case Time Machine fails, or you have a fire, theft, or flood. Do you have an offsite backup (either in the cloud or somewhere else)? If we set you up with offsite backup, it’s probably with CrashPlan, and you can click the house icon at the top of your screen to see your last backup status. Other well-known cloud backup services are Carbonite and Mozy. Did it back up today? Do you know how to check?
4. Choose an important file to restore out of the offsite backup. Were you able to do it?
5. Is your iPhone backed up, either to iCloud or to your Mac? When was the last time your iPhone got backed up? You can check by opening your iPhone and going to Settings, iCloud, Storage and Backup. Scroll to the bottom and it will show your last backup time. If you don’t have iCloud backup enabled, make sure you sync your iPhone to iTunes on your Mac daily using its cable.
Computers aren’t perfect, and unfortunately we see them fail regularly. But we want you to be as calm as you can if the worst happens. Backups will make all the difference.
(January 2014)