| We often don't realise how heavily reliant we are | | | | from their size, is that they're almost infinitely |
| on technology until we lose it. If your cell phone | | | | re-writable and flat, meaning they can fit into |
| goes missing, laptop is stolen or Internet | | | | practically any wallet, purse, envelope or |
| connection goes down for a day, that's when you | | | | book.Removable Hard DrivesOne of the most |
| realise how vulnerable you are to human | | | | popular forms of removable hard drives are what |
| imperfections. I say human imperfections because | | | | many call "flash drives" or "USB drives." While they |
| machines are not perfect because they are built | | | | are currently the "coolest" around, we don't like |
| by humans. Data is entered into machines by | | | | them very much unless the sole reason you're |
| humans and humans make mistakes. So while the | | | | getting them is to be able to sit at the lunchtable |
| machine may be doing what it is told to do, | | | | of cool people. |
| without someone to tell it, it really can't do | | | | Now, don't get me wrong, they work fine but in |
| anything.Back up your lifeHurricanes and other | | | | our opinion there are much better media when it |
| natural disasters have taught many people that | | | | comes to resilience and ease of use. I would use |
| sometimes it's not only your gadgets that need | | | | these detachable drives really for only two |
| backing up. Sometimes your life needs to get | | | | reasons: (1) if I were working between two |
| backed up too. So while this article will focus on | | | | computers and (2) if I wanted to work in two |
| backing up your website and e-mail, you may | | | | different operating systems and needed to boot |
| want to also use the opportunity to back up | | | | from a different drive each time. The major |
| other items that are crucial to your life. A | | | | advantage of flash drives, I suppose, is that |
| photocopy of your passport, bank accounts, | | | | practically any computer, and in some cases |
| deeds, serial numbers and other documents are | | | | multi-media projectors, carry USB ports. So I |
| good to keep in a different geography. One of | | | | suppose that could be a third reason to carry a |
| the lessons preached following the infamous | | | | USB drive: if I'm going to deliver a |
| Hurricane Katrina was precisely that. Should a | | | | presentation.Marketers of flash drives have done |
| natural disaster decide it's going to pass your | | | | a great job at getting people to have flash drives |
| way, you would have a back up of important | | | | hanging around their necks. While it is said to be |
| documents stored safely in a different geography. | | | | hot-pluggable, meaning all you have to do is stick |
| A friend, relative or even a company that | | | | it in and yank it out, I've seen instances where |
| specialises in storage might be a wise choice to | | | | drivers had to be installed first and where 'yanking |
| leave in charge of these photocopied | | | | it out' has caused it to burn or auto-erase itself. |
| documents.Having said that, let's look at how you | | | | However, if you have one already, it is not a bad |
| can back up your website and e-mails by going | | | | place to backup your website or e-mail. The other |
| through some easy-access back up | | | | big plus is that they are infinitely re-writeable. |
| media:CDsThey are now extremely cheap retailing | | | | Other removable hard drives include external |
| for only a couple of cents and can be found | | | | cases attached to your computer through a USB |
| anywhere. The even better news is that it seems | | | | or firewire cable. These are the worst, if you ask |
| everyone now has a CD-burner. You can save | | | | me. They're usually very fragile and sometimes |
| your entire website, plus important e-mails on CDs | | | | need special software. |
| by simply "saving as..." on each file. CDs are | | | | On the other hand, the huge advantage of these |
| resilient, waterproof, easy to access and easy to | | | | is that they usually offer hundreds of GB of disk |
| burn. By "CDs" we of course include CD-R and | | | | space. You can't beat them for space! This is a |
| CD-RW. Be careful though because something | | | | good option if what you want to do is back up |
| called CD+R and CD+RW also exist. Nothing is | | | | your entire office or important videos.Remote |
| wrong with those media but check your burner | | | | ServerMost webhosting companies also claim to |
| before you buy.DVDsDVD-burners are becoming | | | | offer back up of your website and e-mail but I |
| increasingly common and the advantage DVDs | | | | would never rely on that, especially not for e-mail. |
| have over CDs is of course that they have | | | | I would download e-mail and back it up myself. |
| greater capacity. Whereas a CD may hold up to | | | | The time alone it would take to recover files |
| 700 MB, a DVD can hold 4-8 GB. That's a lot of | | | | from a crashed server would not be worth it. |
| storage space! Make sure your next computer | | | | That doesn't mean, though, that you shouldn't |
| comes with a DVD-burner if it doesn't have one | | | | look for a webhost that does offer back up. The |
| already. DVD burning software like Nero or even | | | | more places your data is securely backed up, the |
| Roxio do a good job at helping you to compile | | | | higher your chances of recuperating vital |
| DVDs in a very user-friendly fashion.Hard | | | | information if lost from your base of |
| DriveAlthough you may not see it like that, you | | | | operations.Online Storage CompaniesNow, |
| should consider your hard drive a backup source | | | | personally, I would never use a storage company |
| as well. For example if something happens to the | | | | because they can't do for me anything that I |
| CD or DVD you can still have the contents on | | | | can't do for myself. I can burn my own CDs and |
| your hard drive. Be sure to re-back up if that | | | | store them in a safe place. So unless you really |
| happens though. If you're going to remove | | | | don't have the time, don't know how or have |
| important files from your hard drive permanently, | | | | money to burn, never mind the storage |
| then you should consider backing them up in at | | | | companies. On the other hand, if this entire article |
| least two of the other media on this list.SD | | | | has sounded like nothing but mumbo-jumbo to |
| CardsYou thought the next medium I was going | | | | you, you need a storage company. Trust me, |
| to talk about would be removable hard drives? | | | | you do. :-)PaperPaper, yes, paper. A well-known |
| Well, I decided to put this first because increasing | | | | bank, whose name begins with the letter 'R' backs |
| numbers of computers, especially desktops, are | | | | up everything on paper - in addition to the |
| now coming with "card readers" built into the | | | | electronic methods of course; and with good |
| keyboards.There are many different formats but | | | | reason. True, it may be difficult to have to type |
| we recommend SD cards because they're small | | | | over an entire address book but it's better to |
| and resilient. An SD card can take a lot of | | | | have a percentage of something than all of |
| "jamming" as we would say in the local isles. As | | | | nothing. Computer viruses can't attack paper and |
| they're so small, they can also be easily shipped | | | | depending on the quality of paper you use, it |
| to other locations. Now, you'll hear all kinds of | | | | might well outlive you. So in addition to the |
| names for these cards. Some people call them | | | | electronic methods, do consider printing. |
| memory cards while others say memory sticks. | | | | Our bottom line is (1) back up everything that is |
| Basically, each manufacturer came up wth a | | | | important to you on at least two media (2) send |
| name of its own for its kind of card. The | | | | an extra copy to a different geography i.e. city or |
| common denominator though is that they're all | | | | country if possible (3) do it now!Aleem Khan is an |
| cards. They're very popular in digital cameras but | | | | accredited Internet Expert with the International |
| that's not all they're good for. They're also good | | | | Internet Authority, a safe and reliable place to |
| for storage. Some cell phones also carry them | | | | getYourNAMEin. |
| too. One major advantage of these cards, apart | | | | |