If you store critical data on your virtual machine, be sure to include it in your backup routine. You may need to specify the location of the virtual machine files in your backup software to ensure they are part of scheduled backups.
Always backup your data to a secondary storage device such as an external hard drive. Backup copies of files stored on the same hard drive where the active virtual machine is located risk data loss if the hard drive fails. For safety, make multiple backups and store them on a different local server/hard drive, in the cloud or on tape. Having additional backups will help you in the event of a data loss.