If You're a Genealogist, You Need A Regular Data Backup Day

Data Backup Day for Genea-Bloggers is the first of every month. This is the day to back up computer files, on-line files, even e-mail and photograph files.

For myself, I usually back up my blogs, family files and current projects on Wednesdays - that's 'Anti-Procrastination Day' - some of you will know that's Flylady's doing. (I don't think she's into genealogy (yet), but she has great plans and great tips for getting and keeping organized.) If I'm working on a big project (as I am this weekend), I back those files up every night to my external drive and usually also to my travelling flash drive, so I've got that up to date when I'm working away from home.

Last year, my old computer 'died' at an inopportune time. Luckily I did have almost everything critical backed up on an external drive and was able to keep right on working. But that's because I also quickly borrowed a computer from my dear son. Now that the dear grandson is using that computer - I might not get assistance quite as fast! Temporary or permanent computer replacement plans also need to be part of your backup strategy. I also think I'd appreciate a service that automatically backs up my data, so I am looking into that.

I do periodically backup my e-mail. I have a LOT of e-mail, so I always felt this was important for me. Perhaps I don't do that backup as often as I might, however, last year, I only had to search that old e-mail a couple of times, so maybe I should rethink how much e-mail I keep instead!

Just in time for Data Backup Day, Thomas MacEntee, a Genea-Blogger and the Genealogy and Technology Examiner at Examiner.com, has a new article, "11 Ways to create backups and prevent data loss". He's even found a way to back up my Twitter followers, my tweets and the list of those people I follow, as well as new ways to back up e-mail, IE and Google settings, and more. Check his article out.

"11 Ways to create backups and prevent data loss" by Thomas MacEntee, Examiner.Com: www.examiner.com/x-3932-Genealogy-and-Technology-Examiner~y2009m3d1-11-ways-to-create-backups-and-prevent-data-loss?cid=examiner-email

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