World Backup Day 31 March – the new 4TB WD My Passport SSD was meant for this (first look)
It is World Backup Day, 31 March, and it is timely to remind everyone that backup is vital to protect against ransomware or computer breakdown. It did not hurt to have the new cavernous 4TB WD My Passport SSD, either.
World Backup Day (website) gives a lot of helpful advice. WD (Western Digital) reminds us that we make so many backup mistakes.
Skipping regular backups
Whether you’re backing up personal files or crucial business documents, not establishing a consistent backup routine leaves you vulnerable to data loss. Imagine the panic of losing all your data due to an unexpected system crash or a malicious malware attack.
Solution: There is good free backup software for Windows or Mac (Time Machine) that enables and schedules automatic backup.
One basket approach – a.k.a. don’t put all your eggs in it!
Don’t trust only one backup option. A physical backup device can be damaged or stolen.
Solution: Diversify your backup storage solutions with a combination of external HDDs or SSDs, NAS, and cloud storage. Portable HDDs like those from WD, like the My Passport, offer up to 5TB for simple, cost-effective backups. 2-in-1 flash drives such as SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go USB Type-C and SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe are convenient options for smartphones. These USB-C devices automatically back up photos, videos, and more.
Forgetting version control: Damn – it is an old file!
By all means, keep multiple versions of files in case the latest backup is corrupt. But ensure you do not overwrite and lose them.
Solution: Use backup software with version control that tracks file changes over time. This ensures you can always revert to earlier versions, helping protect against accidental data loss or corruption.
Ignoring off-site backup solutions
What happens if your on-site backup is destroyed by fire or theft?
Solution: Keep an off-site backup, even if it is just at home. Cloud is off-site but requires internet access and can be very slow for large backups and restores.
Not encrypting valuable data
Unencrypted backups make your sensitive data vulnerable to unauthorised access or breaches.
Solution: Implement strong encryption. WD’s My Passport HDD and My Book (and more) have built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption with password protection that helps keep content secure.
First Look – WD MyPassport 4TB SSD
We have yet to fully test it (website) but the initial results are impressive. External devices are limited by USB-C speed. This sequentially reads and writes up to 1050/1000MBps over USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (maximum 10Gbps or 1000Mbps). It has 256-bit AES encryption, is drop-resistant to 1.98m, and has a 5-year warranty.
The nice thing about this is that you can back up at great speeds and keep older versions. In 1TB ($149 or 15 cents per GB), 2TB ($249 or 13 cents per GB) or 4TB ($549 or 14 cents per TB).
