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Article · Mar 4, 2024

World Backup Day: A reminder to play it safe with your data

We live in a digital age where our lives and memories are captured in pixels. Amidst the constant flow of emails, photos, and documents, there's a helpful reminder on the importance of safeguarding your digital treasures — World Backup Day.

Man typing at computer

World Backup Day is celebrated annually on March 31st to remind us of the importance of protecting our data and keeping our computers secure. The day is a call to action that urges individuals and businesses alike to take proactive steps to save backup copies of their data.

History of World Backup Day

In 2011, an individual faced the ultimate tech nightmare — they lost their hard drive. They took to Reddit to share their tale of woe, wishing they'd received a friendly reminder about the importance of doing data backups.

This sparked a movement, and just like that, World Backup Day became an annual event. Since then, media outlets worldwide have echoed the importance of safeguarding digital assets on this special occasion.

What is a backup?

A backup is like a safety net for your digital life. It's a spare copy of all your important files and data that you stash away just in case something goes wrong with your computer or device. Think of it as a digital insurance policy. Instead of storing your data only in one place (like your computer or smartphone), you keep a second copy of everything stored somewhere safe.

The importance of data backup

Your data is as precious as that last slice of pizza. Imagine losing all your photos, documents, and files in the blink of an eye. Terrifying, right? Just one small accident or failure could destroy all the important things you care about.

Consider the risks:

  • 18% of people have never backed up their data 1
  • 67% of data loss is caused by hard drive crashes or system failure 2
  • 10% of data loss is a result of software failure 3
  • 70% of small businesses go out of business within one year of a data loss incident 4
  • 1 out of 10 laptops are stolen 5
  • 10 out of 10 people have the capability of spilling liquids or dropping their smartphone in a puddle
    (Turns out , being a master multitasker doesn't always mix well with liquid hazards.)

Enjoy the data backup benefits

Backing up your data is an important method to keep it secure. Here are some compelling reasons why individuals and small businesses should join the World Backup Day charter and prioritize data backups:

  • Protect your important data from accidental deletion, hardware failure, and cyber-attacks
  • Gain peace of mind that your valuable data is secure and accessible
  • Avoid the hassle and expense of attempting to recover lost data
  • Maintain business continuity in the event of data loss with a quick recovery from your backup
  • Preserve cherished memories from being lost forever due to device failure or accidental deletion

How to embrace backups

Now that you know why backups are as essential as your morning coffee, it's time to take action. So, what’s the best game plan for initiating your backup strategy? While external backups seem like a tangible option, they pose risks of physical damage or accidents (like spilling that coffee!). Instead, prioritize online backup solutions for optimal security and convenience.

Online backup services

Think of this as the digital backup butler that handles everything for you. With online backup services you get ongoing backups stored securely in the cloud — automatically done for you on a consistent cadence.

Carbonite offers options for individuals and businesses. It gives you always-on backup which means you don’t have to worry about losing important, irreplaceable files due to accidental deletion or device malfunction. And with unlimited storage, you avoid getting charged for more space.

It's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your data. So, let's raise a toast to backups and take action now to secure your data and peace of mind.

1 2023 State of the Backup
2 10 Common Causes of Data Loss
3 10 Common Causes of Data Loss
4 10 Common Causes of Data Loss
5 The 5 Most Common Ways Laptops are Stolen

 

Author

Nicole Beaudoin

Marketing Manager

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