Choose backup storage around the files you need to recover and where a separate copy can live. A disconnected external drive can provide a local copy; a portable SSD suits frequent large-file transfers, encrypted removable storage addresses access to carried data, cloud backup can provide an off-site copy, and a NAS can serve a team that also backs it up separately. Whichever route you use, check device and access requirements and practise restoring essential files.
If invoices, contacts or other working records are needed to keep the business running, prioritise a separately stored copy and a restore you have tested. The National Cyber Security Centre advises small organisations to back up essential information and check that it can be restored.
A portable local drive may fit work that moves between locations, alongside another separately stored copy. If transfer speed affects your choice, check the work computer, port and cable against the drive maker’s stated conditions.
Shared local storage or a portable drive with access controls may fit different workflows. Decide who needs access to the files and recovery credentials, then keep a separate backup destination; encryption or NAS redundancy alone does not provide one.
For small-business operational files, start with the recovery location, then consider whether moving files, controlling access to carried data or sharing storage across a team changes the route.
Choose when: You want a removable local copy of substantial work folders.
Allow for: Disconnecting and storing the drive separately between backup or restore sessions.
Choose when: You regularly move large active files between compatible work devices.
Allow for: Speed claims that depend on the computer and connection, and another location for a backup copy.
Choose when: A carried backup contains customer or other personal information and you can manage access credentials.
Allow for: Credential recovery and a separate copy; encryption does not establish legal compliance on its own.
Choose when: You need a copy away from the usual workplace and have internet access suitable for backup and recovery.
Allow for: Checking account access, what is retained and whether essential files can be restored.
Choose when: Several people or work devices need controlled access to central local storage.
Allow for: Permissions, upkeep and a backup destination separate from the NAS, even if it uses RAID.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Recoverability and separation | Identify essential files and where a separate copy will live; test a restore of files you need. | If losing invoices or contacts would interrupt my work, I need to know that I can recover them from a copy kept apart from my computer. Around 33% of consumers put that recovery need first. |
| Portable capacity and device fit | Check space for current files and growth, plus compatibility with the ports and cables you use. | When large project files move between my work locations, the drive has to fit both the files and the devices I use. Roughly 27% of consumers prioritise that portable-file need. |
| Access to carried backups | Check the encryption and credential-recovery arrangements for a drive carrying personal information. | If I carry customer information, I need to limit access if the backup device is lost without losing my own route to recovery. Around 20% of consumers place that access-control need first. |
| Shared storage and backups | Count users and devices, plan permissions and confirm a destination outside the shared storage system. | With several people or workstations, I need an organised way to share files and back up devices. Roughly 20% of consumers make that shared-workflow need their priority. |
An attached copy may be affected by a problem on the work device, while RAID redundancy is not a separately stored recovery copy.
Keep another copy in a separate safe location and test restoring files from it, as the National Cyber Security Centre advises.
A quoted maximum can depend on the work computer, port and cable. Samsung’s stated T7 Shield speeds, for instance, require a compatible connection.
Check the devices you use and the maker’s speed conditions, as well as the capacity your files require.
The Information Commissioner’s Office describes encryption as a way to protect stored personal information, but appropriate security measures depend on the risks and the organisation’s wider controls.
Assess access and recovery arrangements as part of a risk-based approach; seek qualified advice before making a compliance claim.
An encrypted archive cannot help if the people responsible for recovery cannot access it. The Information Commissioner’s Office advises keeping long-term encrypted backups accessible.
Protect credentials separately, decide who can use them when a colleague is absent and include an encrypted-file restore in testing.
The T7 Shield is a portable SSD line to consider for local copies moved between compatible devices, alongside a backup kept elsewhere.
The diskAshur PRO3 line is relevant when a portable backup containing sensitive information needs PIN-based access that the organisation can administer.
The DiskStation DS224+ is a NAS option for a team that needs central local storage and controlled access from multiple devices.
These removable-drive choices are for keeping local copies of work files. Choose the capacity and connection for your devices, then plan where to store a separate copy and how to test recovery.
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Consider this removable hard drive if you need a local copy of operational folders that you can store apart from the work computer.
Its stated capacity is 2TB. Check that your files fit, disconnect the drive when it is not in use and test a restore.
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Consider this portable local-storage option when substantial work files need to travel between compatible devices.
The title specifies 4 TB and USB 3.2 Gen 2x2. Check your work device’s port and cable before relying on that connection standard, and keep another copy separately.
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This portable local-storage option may fit work files that need to move between compatible devices.
Its stated capacity is 2 TB, with a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 connection. Confirm that your files fit and that your work devices support the connection; a drive still needs a separate storage location and restore testing.
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Consider this portable drive for a local copy when the files you need to carry fit within its capacity.
The title specifies 1TB and USB 3.2 Gen 2. Check your computer and cable before relying on a particular transfer speed, and test recovery from a separately stored copy.
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This removable SSD may suit a local-copy workflow that also uses the magnetic-set accessory with a compatible device.
The title states USB 3.2 Gen 2 and speeds up to 1,050 MB/s read and 1,000 MB/s write. Check the intended device and accessory setup, and do not treat a carried drive as the only backup copy.
Start with the information you need to keep operating, such as essential documents, emails, contacts, invoices and customer information. The National Cyber Security Centre advises organisations to copy the data their business needs; identify where each item lives before deciding on storage capacity and a backup route.
A permanently connected drive should not be your only backup destination. The National Cyber Security Centre advises disconnecting removable backup media when it is not in use because attached media can also be affected by malware; keep a separate copy and test that it restores.
Assess encryption against the risks to the personal information you store rather than treating a named drive as automatically compliant. The Information Commissioner’s Office says UK GDPR requires appropriate technical and organisational measures and identifies encryption as protection against unauthorised access to stored personal information; obtain qualified advice if the appropriate controls for your processing are unclear.
No: RAID redundancy does not put a recovery copy in a separate safe location. Synology describes one-drive redundancy for a suitable two-bay DS224+ configuration, but you should also plan another backup destination and test restoration from it.
Test restores regularly, with backup frequency guided by how much recent work you could afford to lose. The National Cyber Security Centre advises regular testing of backups so that essential information can actually be restored.