I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating, and with emphasis this time. I’m only being emphatic because I care. I hate to see people lose their data. If you have a computer, having a backup data plan is not an option, is not a nice thing to have, it’s a MUST.
There are data corruption issues, physical failures for the main storage device in your computer(s), and in more recent times, specialized types of malware that will encrypt your data – and if you don’t have a data backup plan in place, even if the infection is removed, you can kiss your data good-bye.
It only takes one encounter with one of those specialized type of malware to fall victim of its nasty business.
Don’t be a statistic. If you don’t have one in place, implement a data backup plan, ASAP. This is a very opportune time of the year, since you can add it to your recent new year’s resolutions and then get it done. 🙂
If you have any questions on the subject, don’t hesitate to ask.
Not a question, but a comment: I don’t know that you do Macs very much, but I wanted to recommend the app CarbonCopyCloner for any Mac users you encounter. As far as I know it is the only app in existence which creates a BOOTABLE backup of a Mac OS X computer. (In other words if your hard drive fails you can boot up directly from the external backup—and also copy the whole OS and everything back onto your new internal HD when you get one, using CarbonCopyCloner.) (But even better, you can keep working without any stops—just reboot from the external backup, and you’re set to go until you get to the store for a new internal HD!)
I don’t work with Macs at all, but thanks for the tip.