World Backup Day encourages smart habits
Massive data loss: If it hasn’t happened to you, you’re lucky. Or you’ve backed up.
Advisers have shared problems recently on the JEAHELP listserv regarding lost or deleted files, server crashes, destroyed archives stored locally on classroom or personal machines — and the impact on production when these accidents occur. As advisers, we all know we should help assign backup duties to student editors and create checklists to implement systematic backup. A relatively new national event might help us actually cross this off our to-do lists. It’s called World Backup Day and it’s today.
Sure, there’s some extra hype related to the companies who sell various backup tools like portable hard drives and virtual space. The official site has sponsors and seems a bit like a sales pitch. But there’s lot of good material out there about the importance of file management and backing up on a regular basis.
For example, this infographic on Pinterest provides a great visualization regarding the importance of data backup and explains bytes and storage options.
To learn about the history of World Backup Day, which was created by a college student in 2011, a story earlier this week gives the context and links to other resources helpful in our goal toward better data security.
Find time today to make the backup process part of your routine and help students incorporate this practice in theirs — before it’s too late.
I agree that the official site is a bit sales orientated, however at the same time the information provided outside of the marketing sphere of the website is very useful, especially to individuals that have not yet been exposed to the online backup idea. This is a good step to awareness about the importance of protecting and backing up your personal data. I think the next step is finding a way to incorporate this to into our venues to help it get more exposure.