Data Backups [Students]

Students are responsible for backing up their data stored locally on their personal computer(s) or laptop(s). Data can be backed up to an external hard drive, USB drive, or a cloud storage option like Google Drive.

How often should I backup and/or archive my data?

It depends on how much your system is used, what data needs to be backed up, and how often you change the data you want to protect.

What do I need to backup?

Backup anything which you consider important to you and/or which cannot be easily replaced.
For example, your academic work, digital photos, and music, work saved to your local computer, etc.

What should I use?

For most users the best backup storage device is an external hard drive; they are reliable, extremely easy to install (just plug into your USB), relatively inexpensive, and have ample capacity.
Less expensive alternatives but with less capacity include USB memory sticks and recordable DVDs.
Cloud-Based Storage Options:
- Cloud-based storage is increasing in convenience and popularity, but may require a monthly or annual subscription depending on your storage needs.
- Your WFU student account provides unlimited cloud storage in Google Drive for FREE. For more information, go to Google Drive on the web at drive.google.com.
- DropBox is another cloud-based storage site that allows students who create an account to store up to 2 GB of data for free. For more information, visit www.dropbox.com.