Here's an informative video posted to YouTube by the people at "Get Connected." The instructions pertain only to Windows Vista Business and Ultimate versions.
Take 4 minutes to watch and learn. You'll thank yourself later.
Concerns about cloud computing and data security:This article is the 3rd and final one in a series designed to provide an overview of data backups. (Read Part One: How to Choose Which Files to Back up Read Part Two: Where To Store Your Back up Data)
Daily, weekly and monthly are all common durations for backing up data. The frequency depends upon how important the data is to you. A person with data related to his business may choose daily backups while a casual computer user who only does word processing may backup once a month.While this is a simple question to answer, it still deserves some serious thought.
In particular, take into consideration these factors:HOW MUCH RISK DO YOU WANT TO ASSUME?
The more frequently you back up your data, the lower the risk of significant data loss.Keep the procedure simple and automated so the data backup is run at the same time each day.
Don't rely on manual daily or weekly data backups. It is just too easy to forget to do it one day.Keep in mind that backing up data to an external USB hard drive or onto a disc carries the risk of loss, theft or damage.
Keep your completed back up data in a physical location that is AWAY from your computer.Put it in a secure location in where it is less likely to be stolen, misplaced or damaged by fire, water, pets or children.
One great advantage to online back ups is that the data is stored on a secure server outside your home or office, reducing the risk of theft, loss or damage.AUTOMATED OR MANUAL BACK UP PROCEDURE?
If you choose to back up daily or weekly, do yourself a favor and implement an automated back up procedure. Keep it simple.Manual data back ups are simply more prone to human error (forgetfulness) and less likely to be completed on a regular basis.
Even if your goal is to only back up once a month, don't make this critical task more difficult than it needs to be.Consider an automated data back up solution for monthly schedules as well.
This is the 2nd part of the topic of discussion regarding backing up your data files. The first article was "How to Choose Data Files to Backup".
Where do you want to store your data?The common answers to this question include:
Each of these options has its own pros and cons. If you're not sure which option is best for you, try answering the following questions:
How quickly do you want to retrieve your data in the event of data loss?
If your data files are critical to your work and recovering it quickly is important, then backing up data onto a disc or an external hard drive would be a good option.
Restoring data from an online service will only occur as fast as your Internet connection speed allows you to go.
Do you have a high speed Internet connection (DSL or Cable Internet)?
If not, eliminate online storage from your list of choices.
Do you want to use data backup software to help automate the process?
All 3 options can provide software, but not all software is user friendly.
Your data backup solution will only be as good (and reliable) as the software you use.
If you struggle to use the software, you'll worry about the reliability of your backup procedure and wonder if your data is backed up properly.
How much data do you want to back up?
If you have a small amount of data to backup, all 3 options are available to you.
Large amounts of data should eliminate CD storage from your list of choices. It isn't the best choice if you cannot fit your data onto one CD.
Large amounts of data may also make you think twice about using online storage as a backup too.
With these questions answered, you should be ready to proceed to the next article, which poses the question: How often do you Want to Backup Your Data?
Read the following articles for further information:
"Backup and Restore Your PC: Where to Store a Backup" (includes a nice table of info, including risk of loss)
"Backup Tips: Keep Your Data Backups Safe, Simple and Fast"
Deciding which data files to backup will be the first step. (This post will be the first of 3 on the topic of how to backup your data.)
Will I be upset if my hard drive crashes and I lost these data files?
If you answer "no", then you likely don't need a data backup solution.Would you pay money to recover your lost data files?
If you will pay money to recover your data files, then you should pay money to protect your data with a backup procedure.
It is much less expensive to invest in a backup solution now than it is to pay fees charged by data recovery experts.
How large is your data?
Your answer to this question determines which data backup options will --and won't -- work for you. With small data files, you stand a better chance of finding a free or cheap online backup service, like Mozy, to store your data.
Some examples of (typically) small file types (less than 2 MB):
Some examples of larger file types (greater than 2 MB):
Tip: Check the size of a data file by hovering the cursor over the file icon for 3 seconds.
Once you have answered these questions, you can continue to the next blog article: Deciding Where to Keep Your Backup Data.Here are some additional articles and resources regarding how to back up computer data:
How to Decide Which Data to Backup, an article written by Microsoft
"Backup Articles" by Argentum
Posts
All Comments
