You've spent hours downloading important files. Don't lose them to hardware failure, accidental deletion, or ransomware. A proper backup strategy protects your digital assets.

The 3-2-1 Backup Rule

The industry-standard backup strategy:

  • 3 copies of your data
  • 2 different media types
  • 1 copy offsite

Example Implementation

  1. Original: Files on your computer's hard drive
  2. Local backup: External hard drive
  3. Offsite backup: Cloud storage (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox)

What to Back Up

High Priority

  • Software installers (especially paid software)
  • Important documents
  • Personal photos and videos
  • Work files
  • Irreplaceable content

Medium Priority

  • Educational content
  • Reference materials
  • Large media files you might want again

Low Priority

  • Easily re-downloadable content
  • Temporary files
  • Duplicate files

Backup Methods

1. External Hard Drive

Best for: Large files, complete backups

Advantages:

  • Large capacity (1-5 TB common)
  • One-time cost
  • Fast transfer speeds
  • Complete control

Disadvantages:

  • Can fail (mechanical parts)
  • Vulnerable to physical damage
  • Not offsite (unless you move it)

Recommendation: Use for local backup copy.

2. Cloud Storage

Best for: Important documents, offsite backup

Popular Services:

  • Google Drive (15 GB free)
  • Microsoft OneDrive (5 GB free)
  • Dropbox (2 GB free)
  • pCloud, Mega, etc.

Advantages:

  • Offsite automatically
  • Access from anywhere
  • Protected from local disasters
  • Automatic syncing

Disadvantages:

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  • Ongoing cost for large storage
  • Requires internet for access
  • Privacy concerns
  • Upload time for large files

3. Network Attached Storage (NAS)

Best for: Advanced users, large media libraries

Advantages:

  • Accessible from all home devices
  • Can include redundancy (RAID)
  • Large capacity
  • One-time cost

Disadvantages:

  • Higher initial cost
  • Requires setup knowledge
  • Still vulnerable to local disasters

Backup Schedule

Daily

Critical work files (use automatic cloud sync)

Weekly

Important downloads, documents

Monthly

Complete backup of all important data

After Major Downloads

Immediately back up large, important downloads (software, courses, etc.)

Organizing for Easy Backup

Create a Backup-Friendly Structure

Downloads/
├── ToBackup/
│   ├── Critical/
│   ├── Important/
│   └── Archive/
└── Temporary/

Move files to appropriate folders, then back up the ToBackup folder regularly.

Anolig Downloader Integration

Use Anolig Downloader's download history to:

  • Track what you've downloaded
  • Re-download if backups fail
  • Verify file completeness before backup

Testing Your Backups

Critical: Test backups regularly!

  1. Monthly, try restoring a random file
  2. Verify the file opens correctly
  3. Check backup integrity

A backup you can't restore is useless.

Budget-Friendly Backup Plan

Free Option

  • Original: Computer hard drive
  • Local: Old external drive or USB stick
  • Offsite: Free cloud storage (15 GB Google Drive)

$50 Budget

  • Original: Computer hard drive
  • Local: 1TB external drive ($40-50)
  • Offsite: Free cloud storage

$100 Budget

  • Original: Computer hard drive
  • Local: 2TB external drive ($60)
  • Offsite: 100GB cloud storage ($2/month = $24/year)

Conclusion

Don't wait for disaster to strike. Implement the 3-2-1 rule today. Start simple: get an external drive and use free cloud storage. Your future self will thank you when hardware fails or files are accidentally deleted.