For a self-employed business with essential files on one computer, a practical arrangement is a local copy disconnected between backups alongside a separately protected off-site or cloud copy. Choose portable media with encryption when files may travel, consider network-attached storage when several people need shared storage, and check version retention and test a restore before relying on any arrangement.
If invoices, client records and working documents are mainly on one laptop or desktop, a disconnected local copy and a separate off-site copy address different ways those files could be lost. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) advises businesses to copy the data they need to operate and not leave backup media connected when it is not in use.
If backup media travels between work locations, consider how you will protect its contents if it is lost and how you will recover the encryption credentials. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) identifies encryption as a useful protection for personal information on removable media, particularly if a device is lost or stolen.
Shared storage can help a small team manage files and earlier versions, but a network-attached storage device that remains reachable is not an offline copy. The NCSC advises separating backup administration and credentials from everyday network access.
Start with the files the business must recover, then decide where each copy will live, who can access it and how you would restore it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Copy separation | Can local media be disconnected after each backup? Is another copy protected at a separate location or behind separate access controls? The NCSC reports ransomware incidents affecting connected USB, network and cloud backup locations. | My main computer holds files needed to keep working; I want an incident affecting it to leave a recoverable copy beyond the same connection or account. |
| Portable-file security | Confirm encryption for the exact drive and how its password or recovery key is stored. Check that authorised users can still unlock a restored copy. | If I carry client or customer records, I need to protect them if the drive is lost without losing my own route back into the files. |
| Shared storage | For a network-attached storage device, check who can administer it, where it sends backups and whether backup credentials are separate. Do not count an always-connected device as the offline copy. | Several people or devices need shared files, but I also need a protected copy outside normal team access. |
| Cloud access | Check two-step verification, account recovery, deletion protections and whether earlier versions can be restored. The NCSC advises setting cloud-backup retention policies in advance. | I want an off-site copy that does not depend on remembering to connect a drive, while keeping account access and deletion under control. |
| Retention and restoration | Check how long changed or deleted files remain available, then restore representative files to a usable location. The NCSC advises regular restore tests; the ICO advises defining retention periods for backed-up personal information. | An accidental change might go unnoticed, so I need an earlier version that is still available and a recovery process I can carry out. |
The NCSC reports ransomware incidents in which connected USB and network backup storage was affected along with original data.
Disconnect removable media when the backup is complete. For network and cloud copies, check access separation and whether earlier versions remain recoverable.
Encryption helps protect information on lost media, but an unavailable password or key can also prevent an authorised restore.
Decide how authorised people will recover access, and keep recovery information securely apart from the drive.
Older clean versions may be removed before a deletion or unwanted change is noticed. Backblaze says its Computer Backup version history defaults to 30 days, with longer options available.
Choose a retention setting that fits how long problems with your files might go unnoticed, and check how deleted versions are restored.
A completed job alone does not show that the needed files, credentials and recovery destination will be available. The NCSC advises regularly testing restores.
Restore a representative set of essential files and record the steps and access needed to do it again.
These examples illustrate different backup routes; a product’s features do not replace separation and restore testing.
Samsung’s T7 Touch and T7 Shield are portable-SSD examples for different carrying and access needs.
The DS224+ is a network-attached storage example for teams managing files across devices.
Backblaze Computer Backup is an off-site service example for someone who wants to check automated backup and version-history settings.
These removable drives are options for the local-copy part of a self-employed business backup arrangement. Disconnect the chosen drive between backup sessions and plan a separately protected copy as well.
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A removable local-copy option when you need 4 TB of storage. It has a USB Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 connection; check that your computer has the connection you need. Confirm the exact encryption and recovery setup before using it for sensitive files, and disconnect it after backup.
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A 5 TB portable hard-drive option for a local copy, identified as a Mac variant. Confirm compatibility with the computer you will use for backup and restore, and check encryption access and recovery before storing sensitive records. Disconnect it between sessions.
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A 1 TB removable SSD for a local-copy routine, with USB 3.2 Gen 2 stated in its product name. Check the connection and any software needed to enable encryption on your devices, and keep recovery information separate. Disconnect the SSD after backup.
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A removable 4 TB local-copy option with USB 3.0 stated in its product name. Check formatting and computer compatibility before relying on it for restores; if it will hold sensitive files, confirm how you will encrypt them. Store the drive disconnected between backups.
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A 1 TB removable SSD with a USB Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2 connection for a local copy that may travel. Confirm encryption for this exact variant before storing sensitive records. Samsung’s IP65 claim for the T7 Shield MU-PE1T0S/EU is based on controlled internal tests and does not change the need to disconnect the drive after backup.
Not if it is meant to be your offline copy. The NCSC advises disconnecting backup media when it is not in use because malware can also affect devices connected to an infected computer. Connect the drive for backup, check the job and then disconnect and store it securely.
Do not assume a cloud copy will remain recoverable after an account compromise or destructive change. Check account controls, protection against deletion or overwrite, available earlier versions and the restore process; the NCSC advises protecting cloud backups against malicious changes and setting retention policies in advance.
Consider encryption alongside secure storage and a workable way to recover the password or key. The ICO identifies encryption as a protection for personal information on backup media, especially if a device is lost or stolen; the appropriate measures depend on the information and its risks.
Set a period that reflects the files involved and how long an unwanted change might go unnoticed, then confirm the service can restore versions from that period. The ICO advises defining retention periods for backed-up personal information, while the NCSC advises setting cloud-backup retention policies in advance.
Not while it remains accessible from the normal work network. The NCSC says physically disconnected media kept separately and off-network are harder for an attacker to access. A NAS can be one layer for shared files, provided you also plan separate credentials and another protected backup destination.