The transfer of data makes the world go ‘round. That transfer happens largely behind the scenes, making it possible to do virtually anything and everything that we do online. Sometimes, however, a simple move from one disc to another is necessary.
When that need arises, there are two ways to do things. You can either use a hard drive cloner or do what is called an image backup. If you are unfamiliar, there are key differences between the two to be aware of.
How Cloning Works
While you can quickly and easily get a hard drive cloner from a vendor like RS, it helps to know what each process does. Technology has come a long way, especially from the days when you would have to move files to a floppy disc or CD and manually transfer them to a new machine.
Cloning software works by copying every single file from one disc to another. Even better, it copies the drive structure, including partitions. There is no messing around and tinkering with file locations. Everything as it is on the current drive will move over to the new drive just as you remember it.
How an Image Backup Works
Though they are both file transfer methods at heart, there is a difference between a backup and cloning. One of the first is that an image backup isn’t quite the same as a 1:1 backup. You can also do things imaging that you can’t do with a cloner.
You can encrypt and compress your backup, store it anywhere you want (not just local storage), and even run synthetic, differential, or incremental backups to more efficiently store data. You can even restore an image backup to a virtual machine, something that would not be possible using the cloning method.
Why to Use a Cloner
There is one major obvious reason to use a hard drive cloner and that is simplicity. All you do is pop your old drive and new drive into the cloner, push a few buttons, and the process will begin. There are no other settings to mess with and the cloning process is straightforward.
If you aren’t planning on making any major changes, cloning also means going from the old device to the new one in no time. All of your settings, partitions, and even the old operating system will go to the new drive. There is a lot less time spent on changing things, which can get to be a bit tedious depending on the complexity of your setup.
Why to Use a Backup
If you have a drive or machine that isn’t working, a backup can be ideal. This way, you know you are getting a copy of the files without the hassles that the drive might be experiencing. If you have made a hardware upgrade and need to migrate, you can access a backup from virtually anywhere. You don’t even need to have the physical drive itself if you have a backup somewhere that is accessible (the cloud is common).
Should your computer be dealing with issues related to malware or ransomware, a backup is a great way to get your data back quickly and cheaply. All you need to do is delete the drive as it currently stands and replace it with the last image backup. It definitely isn’t an ideal situation, but it can get you out of a jam in no time at all. When going from an old drive to a new one, you can also customize anything that you want, something not possible with a cloner.