A backup is not the same as another folder on the same computer. If the drive fails, ransomware encrypts it, or the laptop disappears, both folders can be lost together. The 3-2-1 rule is a simple way to avoid that single point of failure.
3 copies: the live data plus two backups
Before you start
Keep three copies of important data: the working copy and two backups. Store them on at least two different kinds of storage, and keep one copy away from the main location. For a small office, that may mean the computer, an external drive, and a protected cloud or off-site backup.
The file used every day.
Fast recovery from deletion or drive trouble.
Recovery when the whole location is affected.
Follow these steps
Start with files the business cannot recreate.
Use separate storage and protect access.
Automate the job and alert on failures.
Recover sample files and open them.
Choose one important folder and set a schedule. Disconnect or protect the backup so ransomware cannot rewrite every copy. Then restore a few files into a temporary folder and open them. A green status message is not enough if the files cannot be recovered.
Check your result
- At least one backup is not always writable from the PC.
- Backup accounts use MFA.
- The last successful run is visible.
- A restore test has a date and a named owner.
The best backup routine is the one that runs without memory, reports failure, and is tested regularly. Write down who checks it and how to recover the first essential files after an incident.