Backing Up Isn't Hard To Do
by Reid Goldsborough

The catch-phrase when it comes to preventing the loss of computer data is “Back up, back up, back up!”

Even if disaster strikes, whether a fire, a hard disk crash, or files are accidentally deleted, if you regularly make backups, you’ll greatly lessen your recovery time.

Despite the repeated advice offered over the years, many people still avoid what they consider to be a tedious and unnecessary chore. But various options today make backing up easier than ever; choosing the appropriate option depends on how much data you produce and how important it is.
Backing up is a specific type of save procedure. But instead of saving your data to your hard drive as you do normally, you save it to another medium.
You have four main choices, with some overlap among them, and you can opt for more than one for added safety.

1. File-based backup
This is the oldest type of backup procedure, and it’s still popular. You can manually copy individual files to a writable CD or DVD, USB drive, secondary hard drive, file server, or disk space that your Internet service provider offers. Or you can use a program that automates the process for you, allowing you to pre-select files or folders you want backed up at specific times.

Windows Vista PCs and Macintosh computers come with their own backup software. Some Internet service providers offer free automated backup as part of their security suites. Any of these programs may be all you need, but they’re typically more limited compared with stand-alone programs.

• PowerBackup (www.cyberlink.com) is easy to use, and it has all of the tools that a typical consumer or home-based business would need. It supports writable CDs and DVDs and external hard drives, but not tape drives.
• NovaBackup (www.novastor.com) also covers all the basics and supports tape drives but is a bit more expensive.

2. Image backup
Here you back up in one fell swoop the entire image of your hard drive, including your operating system and programs. It’s more time-consuming than backing up selected files, but it makes it easier and quicker to get back to work if you have to start over from scratch.

• Norton Save & Restore (www.symantec.com) is easy to use, and for added flexibility it also lets you back up and restore individual files.
• Runtime Software DriveImage XML (www.runtime.org) doesn’t let you back up individual files, but it’s free, and if you want a basic image backup program to complement other solutions, it can be a good choice.

3. Continuous backup
If your data is critical, this is the way to go. With continuous backup, also called real-time backup, files you specify are backed up as soon as you create or change them. The downside is that it can slow your computer down.

4. Off-site backup
No backup will help if the building goes up in flames. Off-site backup includes carrying critical files on a USB drive, manually copying files to your Web space after encrypting them with a file compression program, and using an automated online backup service.

Online backup services are most convenient, but because of the time it takes to upload files over even high-speed connections they’re best suited for a small number of your most critical files.

ElephantDrive (www.elephantdrive.com) is a good choice for home users or businesses, offering various packages, from one gigabyte of backups per month (for free) to unlimited.

Whatever your computer needs, backing up your information will give you peace of mind and will save you a lot of work before any unforeseen disasters.

Backing up really isn’t hard to do, and in the end, it’s worth it.

Reid Goldsborough is a syndicated columnist and author of the book ‘Straight Talk About the Information Superhighway.’ He can be reached at www.reidgoldsborough.com.

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