| Let's say I want to backup my hard drive. What are | | | | except it's bigger and bulkier, taking up more space. |
| my options? | | | | It can store several hundred gigabytes, however. It's |
| Fortunately, I have many options at my disposal, | | | | not as convenient to carry with you, but it can get |
| depending on my lifestyle, my computing habits, | | | | the job done as well. |
| whether I work or I am in school, how much and | | | | - I can backup my hard drive onto recordable or |
| what type of data storage requirements I need, | | | | even rewritable DVD disks. You can't store as much |
| whether I access my data frequently while on the go | | | | data on these as you can on USB drives, but it's a |
| from multiple computers, a single laptop, a desktop at | | | | great way to create a permanent, or |
| home, or a workstation at the office. | | | | semi-permanent archive of your data for easy and |
| - I can use a thumb drive (also known as a USB | | | | convenient storage. Look for these to get phased |
| Drive) to back up my hard drive. It's simple and | | | | out in the future, however. |
| convenient. It plugs right into your computer's USB | | | | - I can do it online via the Internet, to a remote data |
| port and becomes a "removal data drive" where you | | | | backup management facility. I just need to install a |
| can save your files to. And you can carry it with you, | | | | simple backup agent on my machine, and it takes |
| wherever you go. It can fit on your keychain, in your | | | | care of the rest. It silently works in the background, |
| pocket, in your purse, your book bag, or your | | | | backing up my files in real-time, 24 hours a day, to |
| briefcase. These can store a few dozen gigabytes at | | | | the remote backup site. And whenever I need to |
| a time. | | | | access my data, I can retrieve it from a virtual |
| - I can use an external hard drive to backup my | | | | network drive that is created in "My Computer" or |
| drive. It operates using USB, just like a hard drive, | | | | "Windows Explorer". |