I've Got Your Back.

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Written on 11:05 AM by BackboneNetworks

This day in age our computers are as much a part of our lives as that morning cup-o-joe. Our jobs, friends, memories, money, all come together in that magical little metal/plastic box we all know and love. Just think about it, everything that we do or use in the modern world has been touched by them in some way. Seriously, everything from your favorite pen to that grill in the back yard roasting up your favorite meal were all touched in some way by computers. Not to mention that, through some weird paradox, even computers are created by computers. That sounds strangely familiar…Sci-Fi thriller anyone?

So, I think that I have made it pretty clear just how important computers are to each and every one of our lives in this modern age. But what happens when our own personal little technological worlds comes crashing down on us? What happens when, through a tragic chain of events, you spill that $6 cup of bad coffee on your precious laptop? Well, you may just have a nervous breakdown or, if you’re really smart (and read this blog), you may have backed up those years of reports, contacts, and most important of all, your memories.

I want to just take a second and look at the options out there for backing up your valuables. There are definitely a lot of options available; I’ve listed some pros and cons for each.

Online Backup - There are a number of different companies that offer this type of service. I can’t say that I have explored them all but you can see the top choices and reviews here.

Pros: The backup is automatically stored offsite, which means that in case of a fire, flood, or other natural or not so natural disaster your data is safe. Also, this option is fairly automated, and doesn’t take much to setup.

Cons: You usually have to pay a monthly fee for this option, which can add up quickly. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you have a slow internet connection and a large amount of data, put your feet up and catch a few winks, it’s going to be a while.

External Hard Drive - You can buy an external hard drive for a very reasonable price these days (starting at around $50). They also come in all different sizes. There’s no need to go overboard on the size unless you’re into photography, video editing, or just have an amazing number of files. A 250GB drive is more than enough for the average user, if you can find a 500GB for a few dollars more, I say go for it! All of that space should last you quite a while.

Pros: This is an easy method to use, plug it in, copy and paste. Or you can use various types of backup software that is available for personal use. This method also provides tons of space for a one time fairly inexpensive price.

Cons: It’s a physical device that can still be broken, destroyed, or stolen. You will need to remember to take it with you when you leave work or home. If it’s with your computer when disaster strikes, there’s a chance that it could be destroyed also. This method can take some discipline to do on a regular basis.

Flash Drive - These are also known as thumb or USB drives along with a million other names. If you use this for a backup option I would buy the largest one available at the store.

Pros: A flash drive is very inexpensive to purchase and you can probably find them in any almost store (I’ll take one bag-o-chips and a flash drive please). Also, it travels more easily than any other option out there.

Cons: I’ve lost like five of these babies and I’ve also washed a few. So, if you’re like me and misplace things on a regular basis, then have an extra lying around, just in case. Also, I would make the point again that, this option is a physical one and requires some discipline.

CD/DVD - This is kind of the classic method.

Pros: I think that pretty much every computer made today automatically comes with a CD or DVD burner. Since they have been around for so long most people have figured out how to use them. Another positive is that the cost for a stack of CDs is around $20 for 100, not bad.

Cons: The process for burning a data CD can be more than just copy and paste. Also, a CD is one of the more destructible options. One scratch and you can’t use it anymore. Plus, let’s face the facts, it’s just not as cool as some of the other options.

Servers - I just want to touch on this option really quickly. If you work on your computer in an office, you may have a server that you save all of your files to. A servers job is to run software, share files, and of course make sure that your files stay safe. Most servers have built in redundancy, which basically means that they have hard drives that backup hard drives. In other words, they are built to last, which is a good thing. However, that redundancy isn’t completely fail safe. If you do have a server, you need to back that up just like any other computer. A server generally has even more data on it and may need a more heavy duty option than those I’ve listed.

Sweet! Now you know the options, but what is the best one? Well that depends on you and your situation. I personally like to back my files up with a combination of the options. For instance, I would make a back up of everything, with an external hard drive, once a month and keep that in a different location than my computer. Then I would back up the basics (my documents, outlook file, and recent pictures) at least once a week with my thumb drive, which I carry with me. You could do any combo that works for you. Good Luck!!!

Do you back your stuff up already? If so, nice work! What methods do you use? If you have any questions or something to add feel free to join the conversation.

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