With the advent of the Internet and other technologies, many self-employed freelancers have the ability to work from virtually anywhere with an Internet connection. However, working solely from a laptop is not without it risks. Given their mobility, laptops are far more prone to theft than desktop PCs and debilitating viruses if you surf the web on a myriad of unsecured networks (think coffee houses and hotels). That’s why it’s important for any freelancer to select a comprehensive online file storage solution that meets their unique business needs. Here’s what you need to know to pick a solution that’s right for you:
Archiving Features - The ability to access a previous version of your data is critical; what if you accidentally write over a business-critical file or are blindsided with a damaging computer virus? Look for a service that offers point-in-time recovery features so you can roll back to the version of a file from yesterday or a week ago.
On and Offline Data Protection - When on the road, freelancers don’t always have quick and easy access to a reliable Internet connection. So opt for an online file storage service that also generates backups on your local hard drive in addition to backing up your data online. As soon as you are connected to the Internet, the two will automatically synchronize so local backups can be sent to the remote backup server. Even better, all of this is done in the background of your computer without user prompts or interfering with regular computer use.
Block-Level Data Backup - The speed of your Internet connection can become a major concern when you are forced to backup away from home so pick a solution that can minimize your overall bandwidth usage through "block-level" data duplication. This simply means that only new changes made to files since the last backup will be saved, not the entire file itself.
Minimize your Data-Loss Window - Look for a solution that helps keep your data-loss window to a minimum. If you backup just once a day, your potential data-loss window is approximately 24 hours, which for many freelancers is a lot of work that could potentially be lost. Subsequently, you may want to consider using a solution that allows backups to be made as soon as changes to a file occur.
User-Friendliness - Last but certainly not least, opt for a solution that is intuitive and easy to use; otherwise, it’s not likely you will backup if the program is cumbersome and difficult to use.
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