I once coined a term: “Backup is like insurance. When you don’t need it, it feels like a waste of money. But when you do, you wish you’d gotten it sooner.” In today’s mobile-first world, our smartphones hold an incredible amount of valuable information. From cherished memories captured in photos of a trip to your baby’s first steps, smartphones have become deeply embedded in our daily lives.

Disasters often strike when least expected. In Singapore, a couple offered $10,000 for the return of their lost phone, as it contained years of cherished photos with no backup. A quick online search highlights similar frustrations, with users lamenting broken phones and the anxiety of losing irreplaceable data due to a lack of backups.

Many smartphones offer online backup solutions that charge a monthly fee. While these provide a solid starting point for safeguarding irreplaceable data, they come with certain limitations. First, as your storage needs grow, so do the associated costs. Most services impose storage limits, and premium plans often come at a significant monthly expense. Second, users must trust that the service provider will handle their data responsibly and ethically. Although free backup options exist, the saying “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” holds true—ultimately, the user and their data often becomes the product.

Technology has become significantly more user-friendly. Consider Synology, for instance. In the past, operating a Network Attached Storage (NAS) system required a basic understanding of system administration. Today, user-friendly solutions enable anyone to manage cloud-connected storage right from their home, making it easy to back up smartphone data. The Synology BeeStation allows users to effortlessly back up cherished photos, share files, and manage everything through a web browser or smartphone app. We recently installed a BeeStation, and the setup process was remarkably simple.