| Take a minute to think about how much data is | | | | good solution to moving your data offsite is to burn |
| stored on your computer. Out of all of that data, | | | | your data on optical discs and then physically store |
| how much can easily be replaced, and how much | | | | them elsewhere. USB flash drives are also good |
| can't be replaced if it was ever lost. Chances are you | | | | storage media for this as well as backing up online. |
| can probably think about a lot of your files that are | | | | Automatically Backup Your Data |
| irreplaceable, such as home videos or digital photos. | | | | One of the excuses people use when they don't |
| To protect that irreplaceable data, it is important to | | | | backup their data is that they are too busy and don't |
| develop a great backup plan. In may not be sufficient | | | | have time. Unfortunately, sometimes when they do |
| to just copy your data to an external hard drive and | | | | have time it is too late. When creating a plan, you |
| forget about it. A great plan will ensure that if | | | | should look into backup software that will |
| something were to happen to your computer or | | | | automatically backup your data, or at least schedule a |
| home, you will be able to recover all of your data. | | | | backup to run at a specific time. This will provide you |
| There are several aspects about a backup plan that | | | | with less worry about remember to protect your |
| will ensure you won't lose your data. Lets look at a | | | | files. A good option is to use an online backup service |
| few points, as well as how to implement them in | | | | that provides an application that will automatically |
| your backup workflow. | | | | backup your data. |
| Redundant Data | | | | Use High-Quality Media |
| When you backup your data it is important to now | | | | This point is especially true for optical discs. Optical |
| only make one copy of your files, but multiple copies. | | | | discs, such as DVD discs, are notorious for be |
| There may be times when you need to restore your | | | | unreliable at times. This is usually because the discs |
| data only to find out that your backup copy is | | | | are the cheap, bargain-basement variety that is sold |
| corrupted. Having at least a second backup copy will | | | | anywhere. With computers you get what you pay |
| provide you with two chances of restoring your data. | | | | for. When you want to protect your data, only use |
| To create multiple backups, you can easily burn your | | | | high-quality media, such as Taiyo Yuden, Verbatim, or |
| files to several optical discs or copy the files to an | | | | Sony for optical discs, or Western Digital and |
| external hard drive and optical discs. | | | | Seagate for hard drives. |
| Move Data Offsite. | | | | The Plan Needs to Work for You |
| When most people backup data, they simply copy | | | | Implementing all the above points is part way to |
| the data to an external hard drive that sits next to | | | | creating a great backup plan, but one last point needs |
| their computer. If they use optical discs, they keep | | | | to be mentioned: the plan needs to work for you. |
| the discs beside the computer. It is important than | | | | Everyone is different, so each plan needs to be |
| when you do backup your files that you store the | | | | different. Make sure that when you develop your |
| media in a separate location than your computer. If | | | | entire backup workflow, that it meets your needs |
| something were to happen to the building that | | | | and is easy for you to work with. If you find it |
| houses your computer, all your data will be lost too. | | | | complex, or time-consuming, then your plan will need |
| If your data was in a separate location, then you can | | | | to be reworked or tweaked. |
| easily retrieve your files when you need them. A | | | | |