Typical External Hard Drive
Up to this point, we’ve been talking about the theory of backing up your stuff. How important it is to back up the mission critical user data on your computer on a regular basis. Now it’s time to shift gears slightly, and talk about the hardware we’ll need to do the job. The hardware you choose is going to depend on several factors, and you’ll make a couple of decisions about how you’ll store and transport the backed-up information.
First, let’s talk about storage capacity. Remember in a previous report, we talked about the size of the folders and files on your computer. Remember, we’re not talking about physical size like closet space. But rather, the number of bytes, megabytes and gigabytes data requires for storage. Some data files are bigger than others. For example, simple documents, or e-mail messages, typically take up very little disk space on the computer. But, a single photograph taken with a modern digital camera can take up dozens of megabytes on the computer hard drive. Check our previous reports for information on how to determine the amount of storage space you’ll need to back up all the important user data on your PC. The two primary hardware devices we’ll discuss in this report are the external hard drive, and the USB flash drive, sometimes also called a thumb drive. Let’s take a look at each, and the pluses and minuses each one offers as a backup device.
The external hard drive is exactly what the name suggests: a computer disk drive contained in a portable carrying case, with a connection cable that plugs in to a USB port on your PC. External hard drive devices offer massive amounts of storage space. While they used to be quite expensive, the price of external hard drive devices has come down sharply in recent years, and I’ve seen them in warehouse stores and office superstores at bargain prices. It’s easy to find a 250 or 500 gigabyte external hard drive for less than $100. For most business users that amount of storage space should suit their backup needs for years to come.
On the downside, external hard drive devices are, after all, mechanical and electronic in nature, and require a little bit more careful handling than a USB flash drive. I have one that comes in its own soft-pouch zipped travel case, which is very handy for keeping in my laptop bag when I’m on the road. Other types of external hard drives are built to be left standing on a desktop along with the PC. If you have a laptop and do a lot of traveling, you may want to consider a travel-sized external hard drive as a backup device. Most external hard drives have only one cable and draw their operating power from the computer itself. Some of the desktop-only external drives have separate power adapters, but the industry trend is definitely moving toward more portable devices.
Now let’s talk about the USB flash drive. This type of device is smaller, more light weight and certainly less expensive than a full-size external hard drive. The main downside to using a USB flash drive for backup is storage capacity. Generally speaking, a USB flash drive will have up to 16 to 32 gigabytes of storage capacity. If your computer is used strictly for business and most of your important data is in the form of documents, spreadsheets and e-mails, a USB thumb drive would probably have plenty of space to be used as your primary backup storage device. What I really like about USB thumb drives is that they are virtually indestructible. I’ve had more than one go through a wash machine cycle in the pocket of my jeans, and come out the other side still working perfectly! Of course being so small and portable also makes them easier to lose, and sometimes harder to keep track of.
Since they are so inexpensive, one possible solution for backing up your PC would be to purchase several USB thumb drives. That way, you could use one for documents, one for pictures, and one for other important stuff, maybe things that don’t change so often or need to be backed up on quite the same schedule. You can also use multiple USB drives on a rotational basis, backing up documents and files with stick number one in the first week of the month, and stick number two in the second week of the month, etc.
Along with the two hardware solutions, there are a couple of other options for you to consider. If you only need to back up on an occasional basis, you could simply “burn” your backup data onto a recordable CD or DVD disc. If you used rewritable discs, you could reuse the discs the same way you would use multiple USB thumb drives. In other words one disc for the first week of the month, another disc for the second week of the month, etc. I’m not a big fan of using recordable CDs and DVDs as backup devices however, since they can be a little unpredictable. Also, it’s easy to damage a CD or DVD disc, making the information on it unreadable.
Finally, another solution that’s gaining popularity is the online backup website. These are sites such as Mozy.com and Carbonite.com, which require absolutely no hardware to back up your data. Once you sign up for the services, you download a small piece of software to your PC. With that software, you identify files and folders to be backed up. As your computer is online, those designated files and folders are automatically uploaded to the service’s website where they are stored for as long as you have a subscription. While you don’t have to buy any extra hardware, those services charge an annual subscription fee. As I write this report, I’ve checked several of the online backup sites, and the average fee is between $50 and $75 per year.
These sites can be very useful, and I like the concept of online backup a lot. Of course one of the big pluses for online backup is “no hardware required.” Also, your information is available 24 / 7, no matter where you are in the world. If you can get your computer online, you can retrieve your backup data at any time, anywhere. An online backup service is definitely worth considering, if you don’t like carrying extra hardware as you travel. Of course one potential downside is the need to be online to back up, and more importantly retrieve, any information, files and folders you may need.
So, you may have some shopping in your future. After determining how much storage space you’ll need to back up all your important user data, you’ll be able to easily make the decision between a USB-based device or an external hard drive. For me, it’s usually a simple matter of figuring out gigabytes per dollar. That number helps me decide which device I’ll consider purchasing as my primary backup device.
