Backups Defined - Why are Backups Important - Methods of Backing Up - Backup Pitfalls
Backups are, by definition, copying important data to another media or location for the sole purpose of restoring that data in the event of the loss or corruption of your original data. Typically this involves a user manually copying files to disks, CDs, DVDs, USB Jump Drives or other storage means regularly, or using a specially designed program to do that for you.
Backups are by their very nature, tedious, monotonous, difficult to maintain properly and utterly important to your data, and your business. Doing backups regularly, and making sure those backups are valid, reliable and useable is a job most sane people wished they could pass on to someone else.
Backups need to be done regularly, ideally every day. Your data changes and evolves every day. Each time you open a file, edit it or add more pictures or music to your computer your data is changing. If you only do backups every week or so, then in the event of a hard disk failure you will only be able to recover those files that are on the last valid backup.
When you backup, you should backup your files to a disk other than the same hard drive your data exists on, preferably something that can hold a lot of data, is relatively fast, is portable and inexpensive. The problem people encounter more and more now-a-days is most people have a HUGE amount of files, often times more than can fit on a reasonably sized disk or USB Jump Drive.
There are several types of media you can use to backup your files to. Floppy disks can no longer be considered an option anymore, they simply can't hold enough data on them. CDs used to be an OK method of storing backups, but they too are limited in size (680-720MB). CDs also have limitations as far as file names, path depth, directory structure and they're easily scratched. DVDs have the same drawbacks, but can hold up to 4.7GB of data.
Even using a double-sided, dual-layer DVD (8GB or more) we at PC Buddies feel that any type of optical drive is not a preferred method for making and storing backups. They're simply too slow, too unwieldy and are prone to getting scratched.
PC Buddies has found that, as far as end-users are concerned, making backups quick and easy is the best way to get end users to do their backups. Backups can be auto-mated, provided a few criteria are met;
Machine is always on.
Machine has a user account with a password on it.