Simple and easy: Back up your external hard drive to the cloud

Abstract:

1. What is the main difference between local backup and cloud backup? 2. Why should I back up external hard drive data to the cloud? 3. What are two common strategies for backing up external hard drives to the cloud?

All of us have a stake in data security: both businesses and consumers need to be protected, not just from hackers, but also to safeguard the information assets of individuals and companies.

Data are among the key assets fueling the growth and innovation of digital services, especially in an era when so much of it is translated into bits. Given how vulnerable information on digital devices can be to all sorts of threats, a secure backup regime is essential.

Do you want to back up an external hard drive to cloud storage? If so, this article will guide you to find the best solution.

Two Ways to Backup: Local Backup vs. Cloud Backup?

When people think about backing up their files, folders, or even external hard drives, they usually have two options: local or cloud backup.

Local backup

As the name implies, a local backup involves creating an copy of your system, applications, and data on a local storage medium, such as a hard disk, CD, or tape.

Advantages:

It would allow businesses to manage and archive their data more easily; it would provide an offline option for retrieving data, which is essential for disaster recovery; and it would enable individuals to isolate their data for safekeeping, the most reliable defense against data thieves seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in cloud backups.

Weaknesses:

1. Pricier;

Cloud Backup vs Cloud Storage: What's the Difference?

These days, comparisons between cloud backup and cloud storage are common. Both services have their own appeal and offer different conveniences to users.

Cloud Backup

Cloud backup refers to a backup service where data and applications are stored on remote servers. It is crucial for ensuring the accessibility of files and data in case of system failures, natural disasters, or power outages. This method of backup is highly convenient as it allows users to securely access their data stored on the server from anywhere, regardless of location.

Advantages:

1. Scalability 2. Low-cost entry point 3. Basic disaster recovery options 4. Widespread access to internet-enabled devices 5. Multiple features ensuring data security 6. Convenient on-demand management and customization of data

Weaknesses:

And it is often both time-consuming and expensive.

Why back up external hard drive content to the cloud?

Though external drives are supposed to be reliable, their contents should be copied to cloud storage, too. “Why bother?” you might ask. Two reasons:

First, protection against malware, hardware failures, fires, theft, and accidental deletion is essential. Second, carrying an external drive around is inconvenient. And, finally, external drives can be lost.

There are many good reasons to back up your data on an external hard drive or in the cloud; if you are not already doing so, the following considerations may help to convince you.

1. Dual protection for data security. 2. Access your data from anywhere. 3. Fear no more physical data disasters. 4. Effortlessly store and retrieve data anytime, anywhere. 5. Automatic cloud backup setup.

Two Ways to Upload External-Hard-Drive Contents to the Cloud

If you want to have both an external-hard-drive backup and a cloud backup, you can either do it manually (which is time-consuming) or automatically.

First, the manual approach.

You can create a backup by manually copying the file to cloud storage. For example, if you're using Google Drive:

Step 1: Connect the external hard drive and prepare the data.

**Step 2:** In Google Drive, replicate the folder structure that you have on your external hard drive.

Step 3: Copy the backup folder from your hard drive to the "Google Drive" folder. Wait for the upload to finish.

While such an approach is feasible, it is complex and error-prone, and must be repeated every day. That is why we have developed a simpler backup system.

Easier: use Todo Backup.

Todo Backup Tools is an ideal solution for perfectly backing up an external hard drive to the cloud. It is a powerful and excellent tool for data recovery. Its most appealing feature is that it supports efficient backup and restore options, effectively restoring data to its original location.

Here are some key points you need to know to better understand its main benefits, uses, and applications:

It assists in performing "disk imaging" operations. It offers **250GB of free cloud storage**. It supports **scheduled backups**, **differential backups**, and **incremental backups**. It also features one-click backup and rapid instant recovery. It encrypts **backup data** as well as data in the main memory (RAM) and physical storage devices. * * * [1] Disk Imaging: Creating an exact replica of the original hard drive. [2] Scheduled Backup: Automated backups according to a predefined schedule. [3] Differential Backup: Backs up only the data changed since the last full backup. [4] Incremental Backup: Backs up only the data changed since the last incremental backup. [5] Backup Data Encryption: Makes backup data unreadable without a specific key, commonly used to protect sensitive information. [6] Main Memory/Physical Storage: Refers to hardware connected directly to the computer, such as RAM and hard disks.

Here are the steps for using such software to back up the contents of an external drive to the cloud:

1. Tap "Back Up Now" to start the backup.

There are four types of backups: files, disks, operating systems, and email.

Step 3: On the left, you'll see a list of local files and network folders. Expand the folders and select the files you want to back up.

**Step 4:** Follow the on-screen instructions to choose a location to save the backup.

Under "Backup Options," click "Options" to set a backup password, schedule backup times, and in the "Backup Policy," choose whether to initiate backups upon specific events. There are numerous customizable options for you to explore, allowing you to adjust the backup settings according to your actual needs.

Backups might be stored on a local hard drive, a dedicated cloud service (such as iCloud), or a network-attached storage (NAS) device.

It also makes transfers easy: you can back up your data to Dropbox, iCloud, or your own online storage account.

If you want to back up your data to a third-party cloud storage service, choose “Local Disk.” Scroll down, tap “Cloud Storage,” and enter your account details.

You can also use your own cloud storage. Tap “iCloud,” then sign in with an iCloud account or create a new one.

7. Once the backup begins, select “Backup Now.” When it's done, it will appear as a card in the left panel. Click on it to get more details about the backup.

The message is clear.

It's highly recommended that you back up an external hard drive to cloud storage. This is probably the easiest way to have a double guarantee for your data. You can do this effortlessly with tools like Todo Backup.