Someday, you will lose an important file that you haven’t backed up. Many businesses continue to play Russian roulette with their valuable information and digital creations, but you don’t have to.

1. Determine the Frequency of your Backups

Scheduling a periodical backup is a great way to provide peace of mind and ensure longevity of data.

2. Choose your Backup Medium

Deciding on the best media type for your backups should be dependant upon how much data you wish to backup, how often your backups are scheduled, and the shelf life of the medium.

3. Always Check the Source Data for Errors

Before backing up any data, it is absolutely critical to ensure that the integrity of the data is valid.

4. Rotate Your Backups Whenever Possible

Rotate between a minimum of two different backup medium sets.

5. Always Test the Integrity of your Restore

Even though the data is backed up, you must ensure that you can restore the data when a disaster hits.

6. Store the Backups in a Safe Place

Once the backup is complete and data integrity has been checked, store your backup in an atmosphere friendly place–safe from fire, water, or direct sunlight exposure.