debcook

This afternoon I had a technology scare. I have been called the backup Nazi by some - justly so. It is just too easy and inexpensive to backup data that it is unthinkable not to. That said, my backup let me down.

I feel comfortable everyday when I back up the data file from work. My USB 2.0 flash drive is fast and it only takes two minutes. I guess you could say that I blur the lines between work and home because I have the same software set up on my personal computer. Once a week I update the previous data file replacing it with the new one. Sounds a bit cumbersome but there is a method to my madness.

When I replace one laptop with another I do not sell or otherwise discard the original. I keep it as a sort of ultimate backup machine. The new software rules can get in my way at times but we are allowed to have a backup copy of most software so I do not worry about that too much. My theory includes the chance that my primary laptop may need to be shipped off for repair so my secondary laptop is waiting in the wings ready to go.

So, how did my backup fail me? When I got home and replaced the data file I received an error saying that particular files were corrupt. You can imagine that my stress level went up. I knew that the work computer was not having any issues so I hoped that it was just a bad backup. Fortunately the road back to work is not long so I returned and performed a new backup.

Software problems are best when found early on. What if there had truly been an issue with the work computer? To get up and running after a software disaster can be time consuming.

The moral of this story is that data backups are important. It is also important to check those backups periodically. Mobility depends upon current and accessible data. Mobility depends on the diligence of data maintenance.