Data Backup

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 5 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #4,576 in Tech & Geek, #105,072 overall

Options for Data Backup

I was challenged with the task of coming up with and writing about my most prized possession. My first response was a bit zen, "whatever I have can be replaced." Which is totally true; I thought of what I use most: my computers and camera, and I can replace the machines quite easily (with some insurance money ;). But I really can't replace the data created with them.

Thousands of photos, important information, passwords, contacts.... it's all digital.

So I went through the options for data backup and decided what technologies best suited my needs. Hopefully, this info will inspire you to backup your data.

image credit: Jim Whiting

Data Backup 

A basic guide to popular devices and means of protecting your valuable digital data

A hard-drive crash from an infection or mechanical failure is an unlikely event, but it's a catastrophic one. Sure, backups can be time-consuming, but weigh the few minutes you might spend securing your data against the painstaking task of reconstructing it, or worse, losing it forever, and there's no question which is the preferred alternative.

CDs and DVDs aren't the only way to back up your data, nor are they the most convenient. The best method is the one that's easy enough that you'll actually do it, so keep that in mind as you decide which way to go. You'll also need a backup for your backup--one copy at your physical location and another offsite, in case of fire, flood, theft, or other disaster. Ideally, both should be continual and automatic. Here's a guide to the most popular methods:

1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive 

Western Digital Elements

Western Digital WD Elements 1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive WDE1UBK10000N (Black)

Amazon Price: $179.99 (as of 01/01/2010)Buy Now

WD Elements Black USB 2.0 external hard drive is an easy, reliable way to add more storage to your PC or Macintosh%uFFFD. Simply plug it in to a USB port and start saving or backing up your photos, music video and files. It's preformatted for immediate use. The compact, durable metal case provides extra data protection.

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

32 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive 

Kingston DataTraveler

Kingston DataTraveler 150 - 32 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive DT150/32GB (Orange/Black)

Amazon Price: $81.42 (as of 01/01/2010)Buy Now

DataTraveler 150 is a high capacity USB Flash drive containing 32GB of storage space for taking your files with you. Target Market: Ideal for corporate executives/professionals or consumers seeking a large storage capacity device. Product Highlight: 32GB of storage space at an affordable price. DT150 provides a great value for budget minded consumers.

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Optical Drives & Media 

CDs & DVDs

Sony DRX840U 20x External Dual-Layer DVD Burner

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: (as of 01/01/2010) Buy Now

Verbatim 95310 8.5 GB 2.4X Dual-Layer DVD+R, 20-Disc Spindle

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $25.99 (as of 01/01/2010) Buy Now

Free Online Data Backup 

Feature-by-Feature Comparison Chart

Service

Free storage space

Additional storage

File size limit


ADrive

50 GB

Multi-account 50 GB at $6.95/month; 100 GB and up starting at $13.95/month.

None (apparently)


.

.

.

.


Box.net

1 GB

5 GB for $7.95/month; 15 GB for $19.95/month

25 MB free, 1 GB paid accounts


.

.

.

.


Drop.io

100 MB per "drop"

100 MB for free "drops"; 1 GB codes for $10/year

100 MB per "drop"


.

.

.

.


Dropbox

2 GB

50 GB for $10/month or $99/year

No limit for desktop-synced files; 350 MB through web interface


.

.

.

.


EatLime

1 GB with registration, 100 MB without.

N/A

Same as storage space.


.

.

.

.


Humyo

30 GB with sign-up; 25 GB must be media files.

100 GB for $60 first year, $80 each year after.

None


.

.

.

.


MediaFire

Unlimited

N/A; Pro account (with larger uploads) is $6.97/month.

100 MB with free account; 10 GB with Pro.


.

.

.

.


Mozy

2 GB

$4.95/month for unlimited space for home users.

None


.

.

.

.


Nakido

Unlimited (as advertised)

Unlimited (as advertised)

Unlimited (as advertised)


.

.

.

.


Oosah

1 TB of media files ONLY

Premium subscriptions available.

200 MB per video, 50 MB per audio file


.

.

.

.


Syncplicity

2 GB ( 100 MB for each friend referral) synced to two computers

40 GB and unlimited computers for $9.99/month.

None.


.

.

.

.


Windows Live SkyDrive

5 GB

N/A

50MB


.

.

.

.


Windows Live Mesh

5 GB

n/a

Unknown




[via Lifehacker]

Look who's talking... 

About data backup

Cloud-Based Data Backup from Mozy | News that you need for your ...
If you're looking for an affordable, easy-to-use online backup solution for your Mac, well look no further! Mozy for Mac offers a sleek yet user-friendly.
Techno Kid: Data Backup- A Must to avoid your boss's red eyes
Do you know what a Data Backup Is? Every people have the minimum knowledge what actually a Data Backup process is. It is a process in which all the important informations and data are copied to an external device which can be a CD or ...
How to do a fresh install of Snow Leopard « data backup
This entry was posted on Thursday, December 31st, 2009 at 9:16 am and is filed under Data Backup Videos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. ...
iDrive A Powerful Online Data Backup Service For Windows And Mac ...
iDrive is a powerful online data backup service which offers online space up to 2GB to backup your data, pictures, videos and many more for free. Imagine if you.

How do you backup your data? 

submit

About Me 

Heather Katsoulis aka hlkljgk

Lensmaster hlkljgk has been a member since July 21 2008, has rated 1,427 lenses, favorited 210, and has created 119 lenses from scratch. Heather Katsoulis donates their royalties to ASPCA. This member's top-ranked page is "How to Make Origami". See all my lenses

My Bio

Welcome, and thank you for visiting my page.



I'm a natural and socially responsible woman, wife of my high school sweetheart, mother of a wonderful child, photographer, vegetarian, web worker...

Life in Pictures | Lensography | Lifestream

Check out these great lenses...

lens image
Eggnog
Eggnog (sometimes confused as 'egg nog') is a sweetened dairy-based beverage made with milk, cream, sugar, beaten eggs (which gives it a frothy texture), and flavored with ground cinnamon and nutmeg; alcoholic versions also exist with the addition of... view lens
lens image
Vegetarian Cookbook
Being an adventurous vegetarian, I'm always looking for new meal ideas. There are some great websites out there with tasty vegetarian recipes, but sometimes I just need a book of pictures and themes for inspiration. And some of the most creative chef... view lens
lens image
Making a Photo Book
These days, everyone is flocking to the convenience of digital cameras, making picture-taking more popular than ever. And people not only want to take pictures, they want to share them, preserve them, and turn them into something special - all from t... view lens
lens image
Pacifica Perfume
Pacifica has emerged as a breath of fresh, ocean air in the world of fragrance, with scents that are sophisticated and complex, yet happy, easy to wear and affordable for everyone. Most of all, Pacifica is an expression of the pure joy of being alive... view lens
lens image
☃ Simplify the Holidays
It's so easy to get caught up in the hectic shopping season during the holidays, that often the true meanings of Thanksgiving, Christmas and other winter celebrations get lost. Here are a few ideas to help us all slow down, relax and enjoy the spirit... view lens

by hlkljgk

Welcome, and thank you for visiting my page.



I'm a natural and socially responsible woman, wife of my high school sweetheart, mother of a wonderful...

(more)

Explore related pages

Create a Lens!