CTS reminds you to keep at least one copy of your data in a place other than your computer.
Why should I backup my data, my computer works fine?!
The hard drive of a computer is where your data is stored and is one of the few moving parts in a computer. Like any moving part, it is subject to failure - it can be working fine one day and not operate the next. This is commonly referred to as a "hard drive crash." Even newer computers that use SSDs with no moving parts can have data loss. In many cases is it much more difficult, often impossible, to recover data from these types of drives. Further complicating matters is that many computer manufacturers are build their computers with storage directly on the "motherboard" which means any failure of the computer puts your data at risk. If this happens, the chances of recovering your information are slim to none!
Another reason is to backup is if you've unintentionally thrown away an important folder containing many files or overwrite a single important file with another. In years gone by when computers were simpler, it was possible to recover a deleted file or folder. Due to the directory structure and the optimization routines written into modern operating systems, this rarely works.
How do I backup my data?
SUNY Potsdam's preferred backup solution is Microsoft's OneDrive. OneDrive provides 5TB of storage. Items can be dragged and dropped onto the OneDrive interface or you can use the OneDrive client software to sync entire folders of files on your computer automatically to the cloud. Cloud backups are safe and secure with OneDrive and allow easy recovery or access of your files by you from any device you login to.