Backing up your data is very important. We are living in a digital age; our own memories are encapsulated in photos and videos and are stored stored within our PC's. Just about every business uses IT in some form or another. Data loss can have both emotional and financial consequences. It is estimated that 66% of internet users have suffered from serious data loss so it is a serious matter and one well worth thinking about.
What should I do?
The 1st step is to secure your PC. Protecting your data from viruses & malware is a fundamental step in protecting your data. Because of the ever changing and constant progress of malicious software it is important to install an internet security package which self updates - meaning you don't have to worry about lack of protection. I've added a good list of recommended antivirus packages for Windows 7, Vista and XP at the bottom of this article.
What can I backup to?
There are a few popular media types which you can backup your data to. These are hard drives (both internal and external), solid state storage (USB flash drives, memory sticks) and optical storage such as CD's, DVD's and Blu-ray discs. Blu-ray discs have the advantage of being able to store massive amounts of data compared to a CD or DVD. The overall storage capacity and price ratio of hard drives has made this one of the most popular backup storage devices in today's market. If you're not confident enough to install an internal hard drive within your PC the ease of use and simplicity of an external hard drive is a big plus point. They have the added advantage of being very portable.
Over the last year or two there has been a significant increase in the amount of companies providing online storage. This is a worthwhile option to consider - no additional hardware is required and it works automatically. Your files are encrypted and stored in secure location that is available to you from anywhere in the world. Many of these providers offer both a personal and business service.
How do I backup?
Windows 7 offers a straight forward backup service. You can tell it what to backup and where to back it up to (whether it be any of the hardware / optical storage options mentioned above). You can schedule it too so you don't have to do this manually and worry about forgetting to do it. It does have the option of being able to backup to a network or server but an upgrade to Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate is required.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/antivirus-partners/windows-7.aspx
Matthew Redford is a web developer. He recommends Octavia IT Services for implementing IT Support and business VoIP phone systems.
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