Just a few years ago, the only program that a standard computer user absolutely had to have on their system was an up-to-date, quality Anti-virus application. Now that has changed. With more and more individuals placing critical data on their PC, a good backup solution is now essential.
Think about it, you more than likely store your pictures, music, documents, emails, bookmarks, financial data and schooling info on your computer, and some of this data you might classify as irreplaceable. So what if you lost all of those files? If you're thinking that the chances of losing your data is slim, think again. Statistics show that most individuals will suffer some sort of data-loss in the next 5 years. Events like power surges, theft, virus corruption, hardware failure and accidental deletion happen thousands of times, every day. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to protect your data. But be warned, some are better than others.
EXTERNAL HARD DRIVES
This is the most commonly used method of data backup. You spend a few hundred dollars on an external hard drive and backup software, connect the drive to your computer and configure the software to back up your data. This type of backup has some serious disadvantages however. First, I've noticed that most individuals who have purchased an external hard drive aren't using it to back up their data. More often than not, I see external hard drives just sitting on desks and computers, not being utilized. This is no surprise when you consider the complexity of configuring backup software, not to mention the hassle of making sure it's actually backing up your data. Secondly, external hard drives are just as susceptible to things like power surges, theft, data corruption, hardware failure, fire and water damage. I've lost count of how many times I've seen a client's computer AND their external hard drives rendered inoperable by a power surge. All in all, this is the leas t preferable way to back up your data.
OFF-SITE/CLOUD/O NLINE BACKUP
The easiest and fastest way to protect yourself against data-loss is online backup. The most outstanding aspect of backing up your data online is that it's off-site, protected against those events we talked about earlier (power surges, theft, etc.) Another great feature is that most online backup services are very easy to set up and use. Simply install a small program and tell it what to back up and when, and from then on, it's completely automated.
Those who have taken my recommendation and started using an online backup service have been thrilled with the ease of use, simplicity and affordability of the service. I spent several months researching which online backup service to use for my company, and for my clients. DataShield Online Backup is the service I recommend. The most impressive thing about DataShield is their support. It is based in the US, and you can actually call and speak to a human right away. The software is also very reliable, and secure. As far as cost, they're actually cheaper than comparable services from other, better known online backup services. I highly recommend taking their service for a test drive, they are running a promotion currently, giving you the first 30 days free, so you have nothing to lose!
Bryan - A Technology Expert
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