Author: Zane Horton
Computer backup is the storing of copies of files on a medium that is separate from the hard drive. The key that protects personal, business and financial files is backup software. Backing up computer data has become a necessity in that the volume of data processed by personal computers has increased so much.
Data backup is something that is thought about but seldom done. Ignoring computer backup is inviting a disaster to happen. Backing up of the hard drive is the duplication of those files, photos, or documents to a local computer with another partition, external hard drive, DVD or CD. For a permanent storage backup to optical media like a DVD or CD is definitely the best option. The life span of media like DVD and CD is in years, but magnetic media like a hard drive, floppy disks or tape can be easily corrupted by any magnetic field that comes close to the storage medium.
Computer backup software helps users to create backup files that can be restored with ease if needed. Data backups should be saved in two or more locations. Data corruption or loss can occur in many ways, including hardware failures, power outage, fire, theft, vandalism, or accidental erasure. A poorly written program can also damage data files.
Data that is manually entered or created with a program is the prime candidate for backup. If backup space is limited be sure these files are backed up. Program and system files can be reinstalled if necessary from original disks.
If there is a chance of theft or vandalism an external hard drive connected to a local network, either wired or wireless, should be used. This external hard drive should be mounted in a place that is not visible from the computer location, such as another room or closet. An external hard drive that is out of sight is less likely to be stolen or vandalized.
Computers are here to stay. Protect data that would be hard to enter again, like photos, important documents and system settings. Just remember that it's not a matter of if it's going happen, but when. Make a backup before installing any program just in case something goes wrong. Do not use a scheme that the backup will overwrite an older backup, but use a scheme that creates a new backup each time. There may be a time when the older backup must be used.
About the Author: Zane Horton has 45 years in the computer industry and is well versed in computer security.
Visit his website http://www.computersecurityshop.com for security questions.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zane_Horton
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