Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH (Toshiba) draws attention to the significance of World Backup Day – March 31st is a reminder of the real value of a backup. Unfortunately, most people only realise this when they have forgotten to make one or can no longer access it. Rainer W. Kaese, Senior Manager, HDD Business Development at Toshiba Electronics Europe, shares his thoughts on this topic and explains why a backup doesn’t always need to be only in the cloud:

“What use is cloud storage if there is no internet connection available?
That cannot happen with an external hard disk drive, as using an HDD for backup does not require it. It stands out for the reliability and dependable availability of a backup medium that operates independently of networks and their availability, and which, if necessary, can be securely stored in isolation.

Quite apart from the high level of security a hard drive offers. At a time when companies are investing once again in their own data centres for security and compliance reasons rather than relying on cloud services, this is a serious consideration. Who really knows exactly who has access to cloud data, and how and for what purposes it is used? A hard drive, by contrast, allows complete control. Everything remains in your own hands - there is no greater security for sensitive data.

Speaking of connections: speed is crucial for backups, and here, too, the hard drive has the edge. Unlike the cloud’s typical maximum of 300 Mbit/s, data can be transferred at up to 1 Gbit/s via a USB connection from a smartphone, tablet or laptop into the safe harbour of a hard drive – and that is by no means the limit.

Convenience is not sacrificed either, quite the opposite. For a genuine backup with professional data protection, good hard drives come with their own software. This allows not only data but also additional information, such as system settings, to be backed up easily.

Last but not least, financial considerations also favour the HDD as a backup medium. The investment is a one-off, manageable, and involves no ongoing costs. An external hard drive is convenient, secure, fast, and also cost-effective. This unique combination of advantages makes it the ideal long-term storage medium for valuable data and files.

While creating a backup on an external HDD is an important step, relying on a single copy stored on only one medium still poses a risk of data loss, particularly in the case of physical incidents such as theft, fire, flooding, or similar situations. For anyone who values the security of their data, a dual-layer backup strategy across two different types of media is strongly recommended. Combining a local HDD backup with an additional cloud-based backup solution provides a particularly robust and future-proof approach to safeguarding critical information.”