| In the first part of this article series, I | | | | your files to a web server is certainly an |
| talked about the three main threats to the | | | | option.The limitation to this data backup |
| data on your computer. I talked about the | | | | solution usually revolves around the cost for |
| need for a data backup solution that protects | | | | the web server storage. While it is usually |
| your data properly. In this article, I'll | | | | cost effective for up to 2 GB of data, it |
| outline the most common data backup solution | | | | isn't appropriate for backing up an entire |
| options available to you.A simple data backup | | | | hard drive worth of data.In House Hardware |
| solutionA simple way to backup your data is | | | | Data Backup SolutionsAnother data backup |
| to save everything to CD. By burning your | | | | solution is to equip your computers with RAID |
| vital information to a CD-ROM, you can have | | | | compatible motherboards and install multiple |
| another copy of your data if something goes | | | | hard drives in each computer. This option |
| wrong with your computer. Burning your data | | | | protects your computers from hard drive |
| to a CD-ROM will provide rudimentary data | | | | crashes. It will usually require the services |
| backup protection. There are some problems | | | | of a computer hardware technician to setup. |
| with this approach however.Burning your files | | | | Done properly, it can pretty much protect you |
| regularly to CD requires human intervention | | | | from all hardware failure type data loss.This |
| and effort. It isn't automatic. You have to | | | | solution doesn't usually protect you from |
| take time out of your schedule to do it. | | | | theft as the extra hard drives for RAID |
| People get busy, things happen and before you | | | | storage are usually installed in your |
| know it, you haven't done a data backup in | | | | computer or in other equipment on site. It |
| over a month then BAM! Your data is lost.The | | | | usually won't protect you from fire either so |
| second major threat to using CD's as your | | | | this method does have its limitations.Use a |
| data backup solution is that there are | | | | combination of all three data backup |
| limitations to CD media. The first is that | | | | solutionsFor maximum protection, you should |
| they won't survive a fire. If your place or | | | | consider using a combination of all three |
| office burns down and you've stored your CD's | | | | data backup solutions for maximum protection. |
| on site, your data is gone too. The second | | | | Burn critical documents to CD on a regular |
| problem with CD media is that the media | | | | basis. Get a web hosting account with lots of |
| itself degrades over time. A recent study | | | | storage and upload critical files to the web |
| found that even CD's that were advertised to | | | | server. With this option however, keep in |
| last for 100 years were loosing data after | | | | mind that unless the data is encrypted on |
| just two or three years.Burning your data to | | | | your end, an administrator of the web server |
| CD is certainly much better than doing | | | | could potentially access all your |
| nothing but it has limitations.Saving Data to | | | | data.Finally, along with burning a CD and |
| a Web ServerWith the advent of inexpensive | | | | using an off site web server, get a qualified |
| online data storage options, it is now | | | | computer technician to install a RAID system |
| possible to archive your most crucial data | | | | in your computer systems. If cost is an |
| online. This option potentially protects you | | | | issue, get at least one of your computers |
| from theft and it is an off site option so it | | | | installed with a RAID capable hard drive and |
| protects you from fire. The only way theft | | | | at least one other hard drive.Using these |
| could risk your data is if your computers are | | | | three data backup solutions, you will |
| not password protected by default and you | | | | minimize the risk to your data and to your |
| choose to save all your passwords | | | | livelihood.Joe Duchesne is the webmaster of a |
| automatically in your applications. If this | | | | computer hardware information site. Reprint |
| is the case, someone who gains physical | | | | freely as long as you maintain the live |
| access to your computers could certainly gain | | | | keyword rich links in this resource box. |
| access to your data. This issue aside, saving | | | | |