Data Backup Digest

Backing up data is one of the most important procedures that should be carried out on tech devices, yet it’s often overlooked. Perhaps it’s seen as too complicated or costly, but it actually doesn’t have to be either. This article will explore how to go about backing up data over a home network. If you have multiple computers on the same network – perhaps each family member has their own device or you have a desktop and a laptop – then this guide will suggest some ways that you can go about backing up your data.

It is, of course, entirely possible to just create an individual backup plan for each device, but this isn’t exactly the most efficient way to go about it. The benefit to having one backup plan across all devices is that changes can be made simultaneously and en masse. Devices can be removed and added to the plan with ease and it also means if something goes wrong then there’s one port of call.

One of the easiest ways to go about backing up over a home network is to plug in an external hard drive to a computer and then share this drive to the network. This folder can then be discovered by the whole network, allowing backed up files to be sent there through the local area connection. It’ll require that system to be on the most (or at least at the times the backup takes place).

A word of warning for this method though: if a natural disaster occurs, like a flood or fire, or there’s theft, then there’s a chance that the main computer and the backup drive itself will be destroyed or stolen. The best backup plans are those that offer a copy offsite too, so perhaps consider also pairing this with the cloud if you think necessary.

There are various programs out there to download that will assist with backing up over a home network, so let’s just take a look at a few of them. These are just some of the tools available to download and buy, but they’ll get the job done and they’ll do it well. Be sure to check out their official websites for further information and to buy or download.

R-Drive Image

This is a paid-for piece of software, but it’s packed with features. The interface is simple and easy to use and it will take a complete image copy of the systems that it is installed on. Crucially, for this at least, it has network support in its startup version.

Acronis True Image

This is another paid-for software, but the cost will vary depending on how many PCs you want to install it on (which, for the purposes of this guide, will be multiple). It has won many awards and is certainly a swish piece of kit. It also comes with a certain amount of cloud storage for free, but it won’t be enough to do a complete image of your drive.

CrashPlan

CrashPlan does have a paid subscription, but that version isn’t necessary if you just want to keep all your backups local. The free version will only backup once daily, so be sure to consider that if you need continuous backup. Handily, the free version still encrypts everything before it’s sent, which is highly important for security.