| If you have two or more computers at home that | | | | downside that many people don’t |
| are wired together to share resources, then you | | | | update their backups often enough and frequently |
| have a home computer network. Anyone who uses | | | | the discs become lost or damaged due to inadequate |
| a computer, which encompasses almost everyone, | | | | storage practices. |
| should be aware of the need to back up important | | | | The next step up is to create a server to store |
| data. There are options available for network data | | | | backup files for all of the computers on the network. |
| storage that may not be available for the single | | | | A server is simply a hard drive, and software is |
| computer. The first step in deciding how to conform | | | | available for small home networks. There are also |
| your network data storage is to determine the type | | | | network-attached storage (NAS) devices which act |
| of backup you should use. Usually a backup is done | | | | as a dedicated backup server. The benefit here is |
| by making a copy of all of the existing files, like a | | | | that the software can be set to automatically |
| snapshot in time, and then adding backups of the | | | | perform backup procedures at regular intervals. The |
| changes as they occur. The other decision to make is | | | | drawback is that the backups are in the same place |
| the location of where to keep the backups. | | | | as the computers, and may fall victim to whatever |
| Here, There and Everywhere | | | | type of disaster makes it necessary to use the |
| If you don’t store very much on your | | | | backups. |
| home computer network, you may be able to | | | | Finally, there are remote services that will |
| manage your home network data storage project on | | | | automatically use the Internet for home network |
| DVD’s. With a small amount of | | | | data storage. Once signed up, the user is charged |
| information needing backup, you might just use | | | | according to the amount of storage is needed. The |
| rewritable DVD’s and make a full copy | | | | benefit is that data is stored remotely and the |
| of chosen files as needed. If there is one or more | | | | updates are automatic. Drawbacks are that large |
| computers on your network that is primarily used for | | | | amounts of data can be costly and that |
| internet use, email, web surfing and games, then the | | | | it’s only as reliable as the company. The |
| need for data backup is limited. The benefit of this | | | | decision on the type of home network data storage |
| type of home network data storage is that you | | | | to use is based on the needs and resources of the |
| have control over whether or not to back up a file | | | | network users. |
| and you choose how often to do the backups. The | | | | |