Backups - we all have them, right?

“A backup isn’t just about saving data; it’s about saving yourself from the regret of losing what matters most.”

Well, backups are the bane of my existence. No, really. I have multiple backups of all my data. I try to follow the 3-2-1 backup plan, which means:

• 3 Copies of Data
• 2 Different Media
• 1 Copy Offsite Learn more.

This is what I generally like to do, but most of my data pre-COVID was scattered across multiple HDDs with no plan for where the data was stored and no automation.

Things have changed, and now I have a proper backup plan and offsite backup with Mega Cloud. Many might not like Mega Cloud because of its controversial history, especially involving its creator, Kim Dotcom. However, I feel it’s a good platform with security in mind. That said, it doesn’t have a great history, so I still encrypt everything locally on a Linux box before sending the data to any cloud, as the cloud is just someone else’s computer. Always believe that anyone can view or modify that data. If you’re on a free plan like me, keep redundancy in mind. Losing a “free” account with all your data is not something any cloud service provider will care about. So, go for the cheapest plan if you want to.

If you want to go free, do so with caution, and always keep in mind that data can be lost at any time. Always keep a local backup or something that might help you when disaster strikes.

Backups are a very personal thing. Many of us have very different requirements, and there is no one great tool or solution for all. Experimentation is very much encouraged. But just have a backup—it’s much better than being among the 50% of people who have no backup.

For example, YouTubers might have a lot of videos and images, so they might need multiple TBs of storage. But someone like me, who has some images, videos, a simple blog, and configuration files, might only need around 50GB. My current backup is ~67GB, including images, videos, configuration files, and important documents. I use Mega and have been for a long time. Mega only gives you 20GB free now, but when I created my account, it gave me 50GB, which is now very much filled with less than 2GB free.

I suggest that anyone about to back up seriously should first check their needs. Can it just be handled with a free account, or do you need more, like a subscription? I would say if you have less than 150GB, then the free tier would be enough, though above 100GB, it would be a stretch. But if you have more than that, then a paid solution would suit you well. No matter what, if you do not have a backup, then do it now. Even just having a copy on an external drive is better than no backup. Take action now—your future self will thank you.