Why do we not advise you to create backup copies of your important files on flash memory negatives and positives
Creating backups is something you should do to prevent problems with your files. It is best to prevent attacks like ransomware that can have a greater impact, as well as losing important documents due to negligence, hardware failure, etc. You can create these backups on physical drives and also in the cloud. But is it a good idea to use a flash drive? We will talk to you about this topic.
The capacity of USB flash drives today allows them to be used for many purposes. If a few years ago we used them mainly for text documents and little else, because they usually did not exceed 32 GB, or were very expensive, today it is easy to find devices with a capacity of 128 or 256 GB that are not very expensive. Therefore, for backups, they can be valid.
- Positives
If we start with the positive, we can say that one of the advantages is that it is very easy to carry from one place to another. You can even use a USB flash drive as a keychain. And because it is easy to manage, you can create backups at any time.
Another positive factor is that you will be able to easily sync that copy with other devices. Basically, you will have to connect the USB flash drive to your computer, mobile phone, tablet, etc.
We should also mention the price. They are budget devices. For less than $10, you can get an interesting unit for basic backups. This allows you to have different drives, for the different copies you create of your files and keep them safe.
- Disadvantages:
But not everything is positive. There are also things to consider in a negative sense. For example, you should be aware of the durability of the flash drive. There are models that are not of high quality, so they can stop working at any time. This can lead to the loss of important files.
There is also the risk of losing it. Being a small device, you can easily carry it from one place to another. But this could mean that due to some carelessness, you lose it. It could even end up in the wrong hands and everything you have stored will be exposed.
On the other hand, there is the space limitation. Although today you can find flash memory with much more space than a few years ago, in addition to being cheaper, it is still far from what you can achieve with HDDs or larger external drives, where you can store thousands of files.
In short, using a flash drive to create backups can be a good option, but you should keep in mind that there are some limitations. If you choose this, we recommend that you buy a flash drive of good quality that will allow you to store your files properly and without risks. Be careful not to trust unknown brands.