Computers give us the ability to automate routine tasks. This saves us from having to repeatedly do the same tasks. The risk is that once the task has worked a few times we will forget to periodically check in and make sure that it is still working.
One of the most common tasks where this happens is backing up the computer. The backup is successfully set up and works when tested a few times. If you do not periodically check to make sure that things are still working do not be surprised to find the backup is no longer working when you need it to be.
If you use a cloud backup solution, the credit card you used could expire or a password could change. A new drive could be added which is not backed up. The software could get turned off and the backup no longer happens.
If you are backing up locally, the backup drive may fail or have corrupt blocks or get removed. The computer you are backing up to, could have permission change or the user that the software is running as could be removed or their password could be changed.
If you upgrade your programs, the new versions may no longer be compatible with the existing hardware or other software. If you don’t continuously upgrade your software things may stop working, because the software is too old and cannot meet new security requirements.
Automation allows us to avoid repeatedly having to do the same thing. We can set it up so the task happens on a schedule. This can save hours of work a week, but you need to periodically check to make sure that automation is still working. There are so many ways that automated tasks can stop working, this second step of verification is necessary. You should probably schedule a check of your automation to verify that it is still working successfully.
