Maybe you are thinking about making backup copies of your files, but you are not sure whether to make them in the cloud or locally. You would like to be clearer about which option will give you more data security and protection, since above all you want to be able to recover your data in case of any problem.
In this post we are going to try to analyze this issue: is it better to backup locally, or in the cloud? The truth is that there is no single answer and everything will ultimately depend on what you value more. But we will try to explain the issue in this article.
What are the advantages of backing up locally?
When we talk about backing up locally, it means that we are going to have the backups of the files we want within our computer infrastructure.
That is, you can have a network of computers in your company and store your backups on each of the computers. You can have those backups shared so that they can be accessed from any computer, as long as it is turned on.
The main advantage of backing up locally is that you don’t need to hire any SaaS-type service to keep your backups in the cloud. It saves money, but nevertheless it has some disadvantages.
Also the availability of backups is absolute, since you do not need to connect to an external service. You do not depend on the Internet connection to access them.
Disadvantages of having your backups locally.
If you keep your backups on your own computer, as you might guess several things can happen.
1. Your computer becomes unusable due to malware that you have not managed to remove and you have to format the hard disk. If the backups are inside your computer, you would also lose them.
2. Another disadvantage of backing up locally is that, even if you have them in a shared folder, if the security of your network is affected, all computers may suffer the consequences.
On the other hand, if you need to access your backups from a mobile device or tablet, you won’t be able to do so easily. The computers on which they are stored should be permanently counted in order to access them.
The advantages of backing up to the cloud.
The main advantage of making backups in the cloud is precisely that it is an external service. We are talking about servers that are probably located miles and miles away.
Although you do not have direct access to them, nor can you configure their characteristics and security conditions, you have the advantage of being able to access your copies at any time.
On the other hand, it is true that when backing up to the cloud you depend on the availability of the server to be able to access your backups. However, in case a virus infects your computer, your backups would be safe on other servers in case you have to format.
What happens if my account is hacked?
Suppose that, even if you have your backups in the cloud, the cracker who broke into your computer gets all your passwords. Including those of the server where your backups are hosted. You run the risk of losing them, don’t you?
In this sense, the problem is not the fact of having the backups in the cloud, or locally. What is really important is that these backups are encrypted, so that it is difficult for the cracker to access their contents.
On the other hand, it should also be understood that backups do not exempt you from striving to control the security level of your computer. That is to say, restoring backup copies will always prove to be a burdensome task and a waste of time. It should be understood as a last resort. For example, when you are going to format your computer, or when a virus has entered your computer.
Try to avoid in any case that no computer virus can enter your computer. Do not bet everything on backups. For example, make sure that your operating system has a good antivirus and a good firewall to keep you safe from cybercriminals.
Also try to follow the most recommended guidelines to surf the Internet safely. Take precautions to avoid malware infection and avoid using P2P networks to download files for greater security of your computer.
Do you need to improve the security of your computer or your company’s computer network? We invite you to contact us through this form.