The 3-2-1 rule: the simplest way not to lose files

IT professionals have used the 3-2-1 rule for decades because it covers almost every kind of disaster: a failing drive, viruses, theft and even fire. And you can apply it at home with an external drive and the cloud you already have.

Signs this guide is for you

• Your backup sits on the same computer or the same desk as the original.
• You have only one copy of your important files.
• A theft or a fire would take the computer and the backup together.

Why it happens

• 3 copies: the original plus two more. Two copies rarely fail at the same time.
• 2 types of media: for example, an external drive and the cloud. A defect in one type of media does not affect the other.
• 1 off site: in the cloud or on a drive kept at another address. Theft, floods and fires don't reach that copy.
• Many professionals add an offline (unplugged) copy that ransomware cannot reach.

How to do it, step by step

1. Copy 1 is your computer, where you work.
2. Copy 2: an external drive with automatic backup, always plugged in or connected on a fixed day of the week.
3. Copy 3: a cloud (OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox) or a second drive kept at a relative's home or at the office.
4. Encrypt the copy that leaves the house and keep the password somewhere safe.
5. Check both copies once a month by restoring a few files.
6. In Neural Backup, add both destinations to the same backup plan: the dashboard only turns green when both are up to date.

So it doesn't happen again

• Review destination space every six months.
• When a destination fails, replace it quickly: meanwhile, you are at 2-1-0.
• Include phone files that are copied to the computer.

Menu names may vary with your version of Windows. If a file is already missing, do not write anything to the drive where it was before trying to recover it.

No backup is an absolute guarantee: a destination can fail at the same time as the computer, and files that never made it into a backup cannot be restored. That is why the app verifies copies, tests restores and always recommends two destinations.