Importance of having a Data Backup Solutions

Data backup is even more important than ever these days. Everything is digital now and you need to safeguard and backup your data. 

I have my personal data backed up in multiple ways, and even backup my Evernote files with a free service. Our district has a Barracuda backup server as well as off site back up at Barracuda's data centers and we use Backupify to backup our Google Apps data.

Below are some more resources on data backup and an infographic from SingleHop with more information and resources on how virtual servers can help keep your data recoverable and secure.

Related:

Data Backup Resources and Tips

Infographic with Data Backup Tips

-

Infographic about World Backup Day (3/31) with some great resources

Tomorrow, 3/31, is World Backup Day. Keeping your files and data safe is very important. Here is an infographic with more information and some great resources.

Courtesy of: Cloudwards.net



-

Tomorrow, 3/31, is World Backup Day - make sure your data is backed up and safe

Today is World Backup Day!

Everyone needs to have their files backed up. It is very easy to have your flash drive, hard drive, or computer crash, get damaged, or have your flash drive or laptop get lost or stolen. And it always happens at the worst possible time.

There are many different ways to backup your files. You can use an external hard drive, backup to a flash drive, or backup your files to the cloud. I use a mixture of both.

1. External Hard Drive - an external hard drive is a great way to back up your files locally. This proves very useful if your computer goes down and you have no internet. Many of them come with software build in to set up automatic backups and Windows and Mac have automatic backup apps. You can even make an image of your hard drive so that you don't have to reinstall software if you need to start from scratch.

2. Flash Drive - a flash drive can also be used for backup, but they are more expensive than hard drives for similar storage capacities. I do use a flash drive as a backup at school of my main files.

3. Cloud based backup - this is my favorite way to backup my files because it is automatic, free, and I can sync my files to multiple computers which means I have access to them locally. They also allow me to access my files from any computer, or even smartphone, via the web (and smartphone apps).There are many different ones available. They all have some sort of free plan and many allow you to get extra free memory through referrals. Here are a few of my favorites:

Google Drive - you can upload any type of file  and you get anywhere from 25 to 100 GB of storage free. 100GB of free storage comes with Chromebooks and other products. You can purchase additional storage at extremely good rates too. There are mobile apps and desktop apps that allow automatic backup and syncing of your files. You can have files uploaded and converted to Google Docs/Sheets/Slides, or kept in their native format. This is my primary backup system with all of my files backed up to my GDrive account. Your files are available on any web-enabled device. I have Google Drive app on my laptop and smartphone and it backs up and syncs all of my files. I also have all of my smartphone files backed up automatically with Google+ and Dropbox.

Dropbox is a service that allows you to sync your files on your computer with their system as a backup. This also allows you to access the files anywhere. You can also sync the files across multiple computers. This means that you have automatic backup of your files and 24/7 access to your files. I have it set up to sync a folder on my home computer, wife's computer and school computer so I don't have to worry about having multiple versions or forgetting a flash drive.

There are also Dropbox apps for your mobile device. You can also access the mobile site from any web-enabled phone. Imagine being able to access all of your files on your smartphone! It includes auto-backup of your photos which is a great feature. 

You can also share files with others.

Dropbox is a great service for teachers and students. Access to all of your files anywhere, backup of your files, and the ability to share files.

SugarSync - Sugarsync is another powerful sync and backup service. You can have it back up your files on their server, and sync the files among multiple computers. You can also access these files through any web browser, and there are apps for smart phones. You can even access them with a mobile web browser if you don't have an app. There are no more free accounts, unfortunately.

I'm a huge believer in being prepared and having backups of my data. The services I use have great data centers and backup, but sometimes their servers go down, and sometimes I may not be able to get internet access. In addition to having all of my files backed up with Google Drive and Dropbox, I also export my cloud files. 

Evernote - I have Evernote's desktop application at home and at work so all of my notes are backed up on my home computer and my work desktop and laptop. I also export the data once a week to an html file for backup. I do most of my work through Evernote, so this is very important to keep backed up. I also have important files in Evernote, and important records and photos. My most important files are here and in GDrive. In addition, I have my Evernote data backed up with Revert.io.

Google Products - I also export my Blogger blogs, Calendar, email, tasks, and bookmarks once a week as a back up. For each of them, go to settings and look for the export command. Here's more information on how to export data from Google's services.

(I use Google Chrome so my bookmarks are synced between my two computers.)

All of the backup files are in a directory that is automatically backed up to my Google Drive account and then kept in sync on both my school and home computers. Sugarsync does this automatically, so it is no effort for me. I also have really, really important data (financial, digitized paper records, etc) on a flash drive in my fireproof safe. Just in case.

My Android smart phone automatically syncs with my Google Calendar, Google Contacts and other Google services and I have my Evernote notebooks synced to it as well. I can also access all of my files on the cloud services through my smartphone.

This may all sound like overkill to some people, but I feel more comfortable knowing that my data is safe, backed up, and easily accessible. 

Two services to Backup your cloud files and data, in the cloud

Many people want to go completely with cloud services, but many, like me, like having a backup of our cloud data somewhere besides that service. I keep backup's of my Google and Evernote data on my home laptop, which also gets saved on my archive hard drive.

But what if you don't want to use any sort of backup/download on your own devices? What if you are going completely Chromebook?

Here are two of the services that are out there:




1. Backupify: automatically performs scheduled backups of 10 different online services, including Google Apps, Wordpress, Facebook, Flickr, and more. They offer Twitter backups for free and three additional premium plans that range from $3.95 to $14.95 per month, depending on how much storage you need. Backupify also encrypts data, gives you version history, cloud based restore, and two-factor authentication. They seem more geared towards the enterprise vs. individual users. 

2. Revert.io. It automatically backs up your Evernote, Tumbler, MailChimp and ConstantContact data in the free version and keeps the data for 30 days. If you upgrade to the paid version ($9.99 per month) that will keep your data longer and also add Dropbox, Highrish and Pipeline. Google Drive backup is coming soon. There is also a "Team" version coming in 2015 for groups and organizations, like schools.


My district uses Backupify to back up all 26,000 Google Apps accounts and data. It has come in handy for restoring user files that they deleted, then realized they needed back later. It's also very easy to use and set up.

Backing up your data and files is very important. Make sure you have a plan.

Getting your plans and room organized for a substitute teacher

Educators are sometimes absent from their classroom. Professional Development, personal days, sick days, emergencies can all cause a teacher to be absent. We need to make sure that our room and lessons are organized so that a substitute can easily run the class and find things.

Labeling things in your room is a good idea so that another teacher or the substitute can find things. While you may think your students know where everything is, they don't always. I have signs and labels all over the place to help the students, and anyone else, find things. I have a sign near the door with labeled pictures showing where things are in my room, including sub plans, objectives, reference books, and more.

Have your substitute plans available in your room. We have our plans in folders in the office, but I have a copy of my emergency plans laminated on my front lab bench so that they are easily found. I also have signs pointing to where the emergency student work can be found in the room. It also has the class rules, my schedule, emergency instructions, and other information on it. I printed it in color to highlight certain things, and even have a picture showing exactly where in the room the actual assignments/work is. Many of the science teachers email each other when we are absent so that we can check on the class and assist the sub.

There are posters in the room with the class web site, blog sites, and my email address posted so that students, and the sub, can find these resources when needed. The 7 student computers in my room also allow me to assign more than just worksheets when I am absent.

When I know I am going to be absent, I leave instructions printed with the assignments on my front desk, and written on the white board. I let the teacher next door know that I am going to be out. We all check up on each other's classes and assist the subs.

Technology can also help. When I was out with a back injury one year, knee surgery one year (the perils of being a Paramedic) and on jury duty, I was able to communicate with my students, my colleagues and even have the students do work that I assigned from home or the courthouse.

What do you do to organize your room for when you are absent?

See the related articles below for more information.

Related:

Backup plans - some tips for teachers

How Technology Has Helped during Injuries and absences

Technology to the Rescue while I'm out for jury duty

Google Takeout - take your Google account data with you

I'm a huge user of Google products for personal and work uses. I'm also someone who likes to have my own backup of data. There are also people who want to take their data with them if they are leaving Google for other services.

Google Takeout lets you download your data from a variety of Google's services to your computer. You can do all of your data or select the services to download data from. Services include +1's, Buzz, Circles, Contacts, Docs, Knol, Picasa Web Albums, your Profile, your Google+ Stream, and Google Voice.

You select "all", or individually select services, and then click "Create Archive" and it will download a zip file of your data. The time and size will obviously depend on how much data you have.

Security Note: Since Google Takeout involves your personal information, we'll sometimes take extra care to protect you by asking you to verify your password even though you're already signed in. 

You can also export your Docs in Docs, by selecting the documents you want, click "more", then "download", "all items" and the formats you want them downloaded. You can also use GDoc backup which will backup all of your Docs to your computer.

Notice that blogs are not included in the list above. To download a copy of your Blogger blog, go to "settings", "other" "export blog" and export it. You also have the ability to export your contacts, bookmarks, and more from each application's setting menu.



Related:

Google for Educators Resources

Why I Use Google's Products as an Educator

Alternatives to Google's web services and apps

Backup plans - some tips for teachers

Every teacher is taught that back up plans are a must. Things change constantly in education and there are a variety of factors that can make plans change - computer breaks, internet goes out, file is corrupted, forgot your flash drive at home, you finish a lesson early with a class, your class has very low attendance due to a school activity or event (like AP testing, prom, etc), lesson runs long, students don't understand the material, class is interrupted by a fire drill.

To deal with these issues, teachers must have back up plans ready to go and be flexible and organized. Here are some tips and resources for backup plans.

1. Computer breaks - if possible, have a laptop or netbook available for use. Be aware of any laptops in the building that you could quickly use or even an empty classroom you could move to for that period. You should also have your lessons and resources available in paper form. Even though I am 99% online, I have a print out of my lesson plans, lesson notes, master copies of any packets or worksheets, and print outs of PowerPoint slides. If you have a smartphone, you can always access your notes and files that way and then write on the board. (pretty much same advice if your projector dies).

2. Internet goes down - see computer breaks. If you have a laptop available, having the ability to connect to the internet in other ways is a great back up too. You may have a plan for your laptop with a wireless company or be able to access public WiFi or, like me, access the WiFi in the area from my cable provider. You can also use many smartphones as a WiFi hotspot for your laptop.

For both 1 and 2 I can access all of my files and information from any computer, laptop, and even my smartphone. I use web based services for everything: online file storage and backup, Google Docs for files, Evernote for lesson plans and resources, and email, Google Sites, Blogger, and more.

3. File corrupted - have backups of your files on a backup system

4. Forgot Flash drive at home - don't use a flash drive. Use an online system instead (or at least also use an online system) to access to your files from anywhere.

5. Finish lesson early - have some kind of material to work with if you finish your lesson early. Going to the next lesson doesn't always work depending on the time remaining. You could show a short video about the topic you just finished, you can have a classroom discussion about the topic, have students write a short paragraph about what they learned today (and anything that surprised them).

6. Low attendance - many times there are school activities such as AP testing or class trips that can leave your class looking barren. I always have some kind of extra activity that I can do with the students that are there. I don't always want to continue on with a lesson and leave a huge percentage of the class behind. I usually have them do a mini-project or some kind of mini-lab (whether hands-on or virtual). I may also just have a discussion with them about different topics, including college plans and how they are doing in their classes.

7. Lesson runs long - Sometimes a lesson takes longer with one class than with another due to the student make up, discussion, or other issues that may interrupt the lesson. I try to be flexible when planning and give myself time in the plans for some classes to take longer. This also means that if I want to keep the classes in sync, I may have to use some extra activities, like I described in #6, to stagger another class. The activities are always relevant though.

8. Class interruptions - don't get flustered. Just come back to class and get started again. You can use the ideas above in #7 to deal with the fact that you lost class time and therefore your lesson may "run long".

9. Students don't understand the material - have a different idea or method to teach the material. A video, activity, or just a different approach can be used to help the students. I have extra videos, activities, textbooks, and web sites that I share with my students who are struggling. I also have time after school every day that they can come and see me and get extra help.

10. Adapt and overcome - issues will happen. Just go with the flow and put your backup plan into effect.

Related:
Advice to New Graduates that are entering the Teaching Profession
Survival Tips for Educators and Presenters