Preventing Data Loss

Preventing data loss is a key part of cybersecurity. Your data might include things like family photos, digital home movies, creative project files, digital documents, contact lists or even downloaded games or music. Until you lose it, you may not realize just how important your data is. Suffering a loss can be a big blow. With data being so important, you need to make sure you have a plan to protect yourself against data loss.

One way to help protect your data is proper maintenance. Make sure all your devices, firmware, software and operating systems are up to date. If a device or software stops being supported by a developer and will no longer be (or is not capable of) receiving updates, it might be in your best interest to replace it.

Another way to help better protect your data is to make backups and avoid loss of important data. If you have hard drives or servers upon which your data is stored, you might strongly consider having backups or duplicates that are routinely updated. If practical, consider keeping these backups in a different physical location. In the event of a fire, flood, or other disaster, having a data backup in a second location could help avoid data loss.

You might also want to consider a cloud storage backup system. Cloud storage solutions transfer the responsibility for storage of data over to a third party and make data securely accessible from a web interface. If you use a third-party service, be sure to do your due diligence and make sure the firm you hire is reputable.

Another way you could help protect your data is to have a plan in place for restoration in the event of a data loss. Having a contingency plan, which generally starts with being able to recover systems, networks and data from known, accurate backups, can help you reduce downtime and get your photos, home videos, and digital assets back faster. Don’t wait until you experience data loss and try to figure out what to do while under stress.

If you have a family plan for emergencies or disasters, consider adding a plan for data loss as part of your overall strategy. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Being proactive about data loss can go a long way toward helping you recover.