For many, Google Drive is now indispensable to organize and store data, contacts, and appointments in the cloud. But what if you accidentally delete data in Google Drive or your Google account is hacked? Do you have a backup of your Google Drive backup? We explain how to create a backup of Google Drive and all the data it contains.
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Matching emailSSL certificate24/7/365 supportMethod | Description | Advantages | Disadvantages |
Manual backup to external hard disk | Manually created data copy on an external storage medium by downloading selected files (ZIP format) | - No additional software required - Backup to multiple data carriers or online storage possible | - Backup must be performed manually on a regular basis - Sufficient storage space required |
Google Drive for desktop | Install Google Drive for desktop and log in with Google account, then select Drive content to sync | - Automated backups locally and in the cloud - Selection of individual files and folders possible | - Deletion of files is synchronized - Sufficient local storage space required |
Google Takeout | In Google account, select “Download data”, select data if necessary, select download link or archive folder, select time and file format options. | - Regular, automated backups possible - Compatible with various cloud services | - Backup only possibly every 2 months - Data is delivered in the form of compressed folders (ZIP) - Backup must be set up for each Google account individually |
Backup tools by third-party providers | Free or paid backup software | - Suitable solutions for the respective requirements - Automatic backup and protection processes also possible for complex data structures | - Finding and setting up the right solution takes time and effort - Costs for acquisition and support |
Google Drive makes life easier, that’s for sure. Like a PA and vault in one, the collaboration tool from Google Workspacesaves your data in the cloud and syncs files automatically across local devices. With Google Drive you can access, edit, and share your stored files regardless of location or device.
Because of its high convenience, Google’s cloud service has become central for many people operating a digital office to store important data. But how secure is Google Drive? Google’s data centers are undoubtedly highly secure, and communications are encrypted. Nevertheless, hacker attacks, system crashes, or accidental deletion of documents in Drive can lead to data loss. Even corporate or university accounts on Google can be deleted at some point. So a proper backup strategy is required. Avoid using Google Drive as your only storage location. Instead create Google Drive backups on external storage media and Google Drive alternatives such as Dropbox, OneDrive, or HiDrive from IONOS.
Follow the 3-2-1 backup strategy: Backup three copies of your data, two of them on local, external storage media and at least one copy in a cloud service. Store your data safely and securely with IONOS HiDrive cloud storage.
Below we’ll show how to create a full backup of Google Drive. The principle is simple enough: create a full copy of all of your files and store them outside of Google Drive, either on an external hard drive, USB stick, and/or a cloud service.
The obvious and most popular backup method is a complete data copy to an external storage device. Storing your Google Drive backup on a local device is convenient, but its success depends on the storage space. Ideally, you should have a Google Drive backup on at least two different external hard drives or USB sticks with as much storage space as possible. This way you can update your backup effortlessly and avoid the risk of losing a local backup if the PC or laptop gets damaged.
Procedure
Pros | Cons |
Simple and uncomplicated | Backup size depends on storage space on external storage medium |
No additional software required | Manual storage method (time-consuming depending on the number of files) |
Multiple backups simultaneously on separate storage media | Regular, manual updates of the backup required |
Drive for desktop combines the sync clients Backup and Sync and Drive File Stream. The application is available for both Windows and Mac and enables automatic background synchronization of your files with the cloud. This keeps them up to date both internally and externally, and makes editing on different devices a much smoother process. For example, even if you use Google Docs offline, your files will automatically sync with Drive content in the cloud the next time you log in to Google. However, it’s important to note that this automatic syncing also means that files you accidentally delete will automatically disappear from the cloud or local device as well.
Procedure
Pros | Cons |
Automated backups of all or selected files to local storage or the cloud | Extent of local backup depends on hard disk space |
Backup in both directions (local and cloud) thanks to synchronization | Files are lost if deleted locally or in the cloud and the deletion process is synchronized with the backup |
Changes to local backup files are automatically synchronized with Google Cloud storage | Google Drive for desktop required |
Google Drive is not only a convenient cloud storage for files and documents. Your complete WhatsApp data including sent and received images, communications, and contacts can be saved as a WhatsApp backup with Google Drive.
As the name implies, Google Takeout is Google’s “delivery/takeout” service for files. With Google Takeout, you select Drive files that you want Google to send to you as archives to store as a backup locally or in another cloud service. You can export documents, images, and videos as archived files, and also back up bookmarks, emails, and any other saved interactions from Google services.
Procedure
Pros | Cons |
Archived files include all data from your Google services | ZIP-archived files and data can become confusing |
Compatible with other cloud services like Dropbox, OneDrive, and Box | Optional automatic backup takes place only every two months |
Regular, automated backups possible (every two months) | Backup only for respective Google account and linked services, which is a big hassle if you have a lot of linked accounts |
Storing data in the cloud is convenient, but data is only ever truly secure when backed up in highly secure, ISO-certified data centers. IONOS offers secure, automated security backups for all devices and files with MyBackup.
Most of the backup options mentioned are convenient, especially for users who want to store private data. However, businesses tend to back up sensitive data regularly and on a large scale. The following third-party backup software solutions will help you protect critical business data from loss. Backup software prevents data from being lost due to technical errors or malware by performing automatic backups according to schedules. Automatic backup tools are available both as free solutions and as paid licenses with a wide range of features.
Backup solutions provide centralized interfaces for complex data landscapes, enabling automatic and on-demand data protection and information management even with large capacities. Storage capacities are also suitable for large companies with growing data volumes thanks to professional, high-performance cloud environments and highly secure data centers.
The market research company Gartner regularly examines the performance of backup tools and ranks the following companies as market leaders in the area of paid backup and recovery solutions:
Smaller companies are by no means forced to resort to costly backup tools. There are plenty of free, powerful backup solutions available. Recommended are, among others:
Pros | Cons |
Both free and paid enterprise backup tools provide automated, on-demand backup for complex data sets | Best functionality and memory only with paid versions |
Automatic protection of comprehensive backup landscapes with schedulable backup refresh, restore options and automatic deletion | Cloud storage comparison and backup tools are required, as there are numerous providers with different cost plans and scope of services |
Centralized interfaces and on-demand information management for very large enterprises | Reliant on third-party providers |
Cloud storage can be used for a variety of functions including sharing photos, collaborating on documents and backing up important files. There are loads of cloud storage solution providers to choose from. In the following article, we will compare two of the longest standing ones out there and their key features. Dropbox vs. Google Drive – which provider should you choose?
So, you want to work on your documents on the go, but you will not have access to an internet connection. If you want to use Google Docs offline, all you need is the Google Chrome extension and adequate space on your hard drive to store your documents locally. We will go over how to work on your projects in Google Docs offline.
The cloud storage service Google Drive is one of the most popular solutions of its kind. Users appreciate the large amount of free storage and the proximity to various other Google services. Nevertheless, the search for a Google Drive alternative can pay off: Many alternative services are quite convincing in terms of data protection, security, and especially in their price-performance package.
It takes only a few steps to successfully use Google Drive offline. You can make Google Drive available offline in a matter of minutes. This lets you view and edit your data anytime and from anywhere, even without an Internet connect. We'll explain how to set up the offline feature in Google Drive on Windows and Mac devices.
With Google Drive, you can store data in the cloud and access it regardless of the device you’re using. The Google Drive for desktop tool lets you upload files to the cloud from any device and sync local changes made to files. By synchronizing Google Drive with your PC, your cloud backup is always up to date.
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