Data loss is one of the worst things that can happen to your computing system, regardless of whether you’re a casual user or a hardcore home lab enthusiast with multiple devices in your arsenal. Creating frequent backups of your essential documents can prevent drive failures and accidental deletions from rendering your precious files inaccessible.

Thankfully, there are a ton of tools designed to help you safeguard your data, including on-site and off-site backup utilities. If those names sound unfamiliar, here’s a brief set of differences between the two, alongside some reasons why you’d want a backup setup that combines both services.

On-site backups are physically accessible

And your data is stored on local hardware

Starting with the more accessible option, on-site backup provisions involve saving your files and documents on storage devices in your household. These devices can range from SSDs/HDDs containing a handful of files to full-fledged Network-Attached Storage solutions capable of backing up snapshots and complete backups of all your paraphernalia.

Since you’re in full control of your data, you don’t have to worry about third-party firms snooping through your file collection. Provided you take enough precautions, on-site backups are a lot easier to secure than their offshore counterparts.

Unfortunately, the locally-hosted nature of on-site backups is more of a double-edged sword than a purely beneficial facility. That’s because storing your backups in one place can result in all your data getting wiped out by a catastrophe, theft, or other unforeseen events.

They're cheaper to implement in the long run

On-site backups require some monetary investment for the initial setup, even if it’s just a cheap hard drive. Once you level up and hit the NAS front, the upfront cost can seem like a buzzkill, as you'll have to purchase the chassis, storage drives, and (in some cases) even the operating system.

However, local backup servers are more cost-effective when you consider the subscription fees associated with their off-site cloud storage counterparts. If you’re planning to create full backups for all your home lab equipment, the cost-per-Terabyte of a self-hosted solution is a lot less than the exorbitant rates charged by most off-site storage providers. Unlike typical PC hardware, you don’t have to upgrade your NAS/DAS devices every few years, and the only time you’ll have to shell out your hard-earned money is when you need better network equipment or if a storage drive meets an untimely end.

Data recovery is a lot quicker (especially with faster Ethernet provisions)

On-site setups typically rely on Ethernet to transfer data between your devices. Since you’re essentially storing everything on a local machine, you don’t need to deal with slower Internet speeds or expose services to external networks.

Even on a modest 1GbE connection, you’re be able to create, share, and restore your backups at a fast speed. Throw in faster NICs, switches, and cables, and your NAS server will back up your home lab equipment at a break-neck pace.

Off-site backups offer solid redundancy

And a home lab disaster won't wipe out your data

Offshore storage solutions, be it a remotely configured self-hosted NAS server or a VPS/cloud platform, add redundancy to your backup setup by keeping your essential files in a separate location. This way, you’d still have at least a single copy of your data even if your local server is compromised, and you can opt for third-party cloud storage platforms if you want a reliable means to store (and access) your backups.

Your Internet speeds are a major consideration

Unlike their locally hosted rivals, your Internet connection plays a huge role in off-site backup servers. As such, it can take a while to transfer GigaBytes worth of snapshots (or god forbid, full backups) to an external server.

Considering that Internet speeds are a lot slower than your average LAN connection, you might have to wait eons when restoring a backup from a remote storage solution. That’s before you include the network errors when transferring files over the Internet, which can result in incomplete backups at best, and corrupted datasets at worst.

Privacy and security can be a major concern

Finally, you’ll have to contend with the privacy risks of storing your data on a third-party server. Of course, high-profile storage platforms have several encryption measures in place, and you could configure multi-factor authentication to prevent hackers from brute-forcing their way into your cloud storage.

That said, confidential documents should be kept away from your average cloud platform, as you’re one data breach away from hackers gaining access to your private information. Likewise, storing your backups on a self-hosted remote server isn’t exactly foolproof either, because you’re accessing it over the Internet. Don’t get me wrong, your on-site backups can just as easily get targeted by ransomware when you’re not careful. But a well-configured local server accessible from specific devices on your home VLAN is several orders of magnitude more secure than an offshore backup solution.

You'll need them both for a reliable backup solution

Remember the 3-2-1 backup rule

Ideally, you’ll want a backup server that leverages the cost-effectiveness and fast transfer speeds of an on-site solution with the extra redundancy offered by off-site storage platforms. For the perfect backup plan, I recommend following the 3-2-1 rule. If you haven’t heard of it, the rule states that you should have three datasets of your backup files spread across two devices, with one copy stored on a remote server.