| There are many ways to backup files on your | | | | disk can only hold a fraction of the entire contents of |
| computer. The kind of backup solution you use will | | | | a hard drive. |
| depend on the amount of data you have and your | | | | External hard drives offer the easiest and most |
| particular file backup needs. Here are four of the | | | | reliable method of local backup storage, as they are |
| most common ways on how to backup your files. | | | | available in very large capacities, connect easily, and |
| Data loss is a big problem for anyone who uses a | | | | can be physically isolated from the computer at any |
| computer to work. Fires happen, computers crash | | | | time. Unless you keep your external hard drive |
| (with alarming frequency), and virus programmers | | | | locked up in a safe as well, it too can be destroyed |
| have become more advanced than ever before. | | | | by fire, flood, or storm should a disaster strike. |
| Each of these situations presents its own uniques | | | | They are also prone to the same failure problems |
| threat, but there is one way to deal with the most | | | | that plague internal drives. |
| devastating outcome- file backup. | | | | A solution for how to backup files is growing in |
| Some operating systems come with a backup utility | | | | popularity among home users as well as office IT |
| that allows you to create backup copies of your | | | | managers and that solution is online backup. This |
| entire hard drive (or folders that you select) | | | | relatively new method of file backup is done online |
| automatically. The two most popular operating | | | | with a company that is physically miles away, yet the |
| systems, Windows Vista and Mac OS X both come | | | | data is always available at the touch of a few |
| with backup utilities. After a certain point, though, | | | | keystrokes. For a nominal fee, there are several |
| backing up files on the same computer that has the | | | | companies that will store your data in heavily |
| potential for crash can end up devastating your | | | | protected servers, often automatically as well. |
| system. | | | | Choosing a backup method is simply a matter of |
| Backing up files on CD or DVD is a viable option for | | | | determining how much capacity and security you |
| anyone who has that capability and backs up once in | | | | need. Most people find that external hard drives and |
| a while. The one major advantage to this method is | | | | online services offer the best protection for the |
| that the CD or DVD is an external storage media, | | | | cost. |
| and it can be kept safe outside of the computer, or | | | | If you are looking for the best online storage |
| even the room the computer is in. Many large | | | | solution, we recommend Carbonite or Mozy. Visit us |
| companies do routine backups of important data and | | | | to see a head-to-head comparison of Carbonite vs |
| keep those disks in a fire-proof safe off site. | | | | Mozy and decide for yourself which option is best for |
| This can still be a time consuming method, and each | | | | you. |