Backup basics: the 3-2-1 rule

Drives fail, laptops get stolen and ransomware locks files. A good backup turns any of those from a disaster into an inconvenience.

The 3-2-1 rule

• Keep three copies of anything important - the original plus two backups.
• Use two different types of storage, for example your computer and an external drive.
• Keep one copy off-site, such as an encrypted cloud backup.

Common mistakes

• Relying only on syncing services, which can copy deletions and corruption as well
• Never checking the backup, so nobody notices it stopped months ago
• Leaving the external drive plugged in all the time, where ransomware can reach it too

Test a restore at least twice a year. Our maintenance contracts include automatic backups and test restores as standard.