Honestly, I rarely backup my Sierra. I was really into it at one point,but now I hardly ever think to.
Not to get preachy, but if you're not running Time Machine, which I think is the case, maintaining at least a reasonably current clone as backup in the event something goes wrong is in your best interests. (You bought the hardware; you may as well use it for the purpose for which you bought it. )
For what it is worth I feel compelled to add my wholehearted AMEN! to Artie's comment.
If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?
) 
