05/12/2026
Tech Tip of the Day:
The "3-2-1" Rule
We see a lot of heartbreaking moments at the shop when a phone is run over or a laptop hard drive completely fails, and the first question is always: "Are my photos gone?"
Hardware can be replaced, but your personal data can't. To truly protect your memories and important documents, the tech industry relies on the 3-2-1 Backup Rule.
How the 3-2-1 Rule Works:
• 3 Copies of Your Data: You should always have your primary data and two backups. (For example: the original photo on your phone, a copy on your computer, and a copy on an external drive).
• 2 Different Types of Media: Don't keep both backups on the same type of device. If a power surge fries your computer, it might fry the internal drive and the backup folder right next to it. Keep one backup on the device and another on a physical external hard drive or USB flash drive.
• 1 Offsite Location: Keep one backup somewhere else. Today, the easiest "offsite" location is the Cloud (like Google Drive, iCloud, or OneDrive). If something happens to your physical home (like a fire or flood), your digital memories are still safely floating in the cloud.
The "Set It and Forget It" Strategy:
The best backup is the one you don't have to think about. Turn on automatic cloud backups on your smartphone, and consider setting up your computer to automatically sync important folders to an external drive every week.
Pro Tip: Flash drives and SD cards are great for transferring files, but they are not designed for long-term storage! They can lose data if they sit unused in a drawer for several years. Stick to solid-state drives (SSDs) or cloud storage for permanent archiving.
Not sure where to start with backing up your devices? Stop by Flat Ribbon!
We can help you pick out the right external drive, set up automatic cloud syncing, or help recover data from a device that’s already acting up.
