Storage Method Overview


You have a wide range of storage methods available. The one (or ones) you choose largely depends on how much data you have and how critical your data is. The following sections cover the most common methods and provide some guidance on the right storage method for different situations.

Flash Memory

Flash memory, also called memory sticks or USB keys, are a fast and convenient way to store files and provide some level of back up, usually for critical files. They are also small enough to be carried on a key chain. Flash memories come in a number of styles and sizes, and many of the newer ones can be password protected. Some are even designed to withstand extreme physical stress and still maintain their functionality. One of the new trends in Flash memory is biometric security. Access to these memory devices can only be gained by swiping your finger print over the reader. Security measures on such devices is great for secure or private data, but do not forget your password (or lose your finger) because without it the data will be unretrievable. If you do store critical or private information on one of these keys, we suggest spending the extra money to get one with some level of security in case you lose it somewhere.

The available memory on Flash drives is growing, and some Flash drives have up to 32 GB of storage. These are great devices for storing critical files, especially ones that need to be transported. You can also keep these drives in a fire box or safe-deposit box or some other location so that the same disaster does not destroy your computer and backup device. If you do so, be sure to plug the Flash drive into a USB port on a computer once in a while (we are talking once every four to six months, not every week) to ensure the tiny battery inside the Flash device maintains a charge and to make sure the files are still operable (a spot check of one or two files is sufficient). The internal batteries typically last a long time without charging (recharging is automatic when you plug them into your USB port), but read the manual just so you know how long your Flash drive can go without a connection. Backing up to a Flash drive must be done manually, but it is just a matter of copying files from where they are to the Flash drive folder. Figure 9-1 shows where the Flash drive goes.

Figure 9-1. Flash Memory Devices Usually Plug into a USB Port


We mentioned earlier that it is a good idea to keep all your critical files in a common folder. This makes backing up much faster and easier. Just create a folder called "important stuff" (or whatever works for you) somewhere on your computer. After you have created this folder, move all the folders and files that you have designated as critical to that folder. Now, when you back up, you only need to copy the "important stuff" folder onto the memory key.

There are a lot of choices for consumers here and a wide array of choices regarding size, shape, security, color, and so on. A great resource for sorting all of this out is http://www.cnet.com, where you can read through their ratings on Flash drives and every product type mentioned here (and a bunch that are not). It is a good idea to check here before buying tech gear.

External Hard Drives

External hard drives or zip drives are also great solutions for backing up your files. The capacity of these devices range from tens to hundreds of GBs. You can use them for backing up a few files, all files on a PC, or even for backing up all files on multiple PCs. These drives can also serve double duty by storing massive amounts of digital media, such as digital photos, music, and video libraries on a network.

There are a number of different ways to use external drives, but for backups the best drive on the market is the Maxtor OneTouch (most of the products similar to the OneTouch are good, too). After the initial setup of this device, you literally touch one button on the device to back up your system. There are other options, too, for automated backup in both Windows XP and Windows 98, both of which are shown later in this chapter.

Many of these devices come with both USB and Firewire connections. If your PC has a Firewire port, you will want to use that because the access speed to the storage device is much faster over Firewire than USB.

The downside to these devices is that to have an automated backup process (which is always preferred because you will forget to do it manually), you need to have the device dedicated to a single PC. If you only have one PC that needs backing up, this is no problem; if you have a multi-PC home, however, you must manually move the device from PC to PC to back them up, or buy one external drive per PC, which could get expensive. Figure 9-2 demonstrates how these drives are attached.

Figure 9-2. External Drives Can Plug into a USB or Firewire Port


Networked Storage

One solution to the problem of having multiple computers to back up is to set up a network storage drive. These drives work just like an external hard drive, except that they are connected to your home network device (a wired or wireless router/switch) and can therefore be accessed by all PCs on the network. This is a great setup because you can set up an automated backup routine on all your PCs so that once a week (or at any interval you like) they perform a backup function to the network drive.

With the larger-capacity network storage drives, you can also use the drives as file servers so that all the PCs on the network can access shared digital media libraries, such as digital photos, music, and videos.

Finally, some of the network storage devices can also double as print servers. Figure 9-3 show how these devices connect into your home network.

Figure 9-3. Network Storage Devices Plug into Your Home Network Router


Two recommended options for network storage devices are the Linksys attached storage devices and the Buffalo LinkStation drive. If you want to use an existing hard drive, you can also use a network storage link that converts a standard storage device to a network attached storage.

Very Important

If you do choose the network storage option, your network performance will be noticeably slower during system backups. To avoid any annoying slowdowns, be sure to schedule your backups when the network is not otherwise being used.


Very Important

The Linksys NSLU2 is a nice device for converting a standard USB storage device to a network device, but it does require a full reformatting of the storage device. So, if you have data on the drive you want to keep, you need to temporarily store the data on a PC or another hard drive during the reformatting; otherwise, all your data on the device will be lost. This is a cool device, though, because you can take a USB key or external hard drive and then plug the NSLU2 device to your router and your network-based storage. The device is also expandable, so you can connect more than one external hard drive.


Online Storage

One of the newest options for storage is online storage. Online storage involves you backing up your data over your broadband connection, over the Internet, to a remote company that has many, many file servers (big computers with big storage drives). With these services, your data is stored in several data centers providing backup and geographic separation of all you back up. This is equivalent to what large companies do today for their critical corporate data. Figure 9-4 shows an example.

Figure 9-4. Online Storage Provides Backups in a Remote Location


Very Important

This should be obvious, but do not use this option if you are on a dialup connection.


A number of companies offer this service. One service, Spare Backup, in addition to all the benefits of the other services, offers a user-friendly introduction and does not require a credit card for the free trial until you actually sign up. Very nice:

http://www.sparebackup.com

This site also has a feature that assesses what on your PC should be backed up, and they make it pretty easy to customize your backup routine. Figures 9-5, 9-6, and 9-7 provide screen shots of the setup where you select which files to back up.

Figure 9-5. Spare's Automated Backup Assessment


Figure 9-6. Fine-Tuning Which Categories of Files to Back Up


Figure 9-7. Fine-Tuning Which Individual Files You Want to Back Up


Pricing for this service is about the same as other services (the annual fee for 1 GB is about $95), but with this service you can add 1 GB at a time to meet your specific backup needs. Most other services only have predefined tiers (so you pay for storage you do not use). The cost per additional GB per month is less than $2 if you sign up for the annual service.

There are also a number of other services to choose from, including the following:

http://www.ibackup.com

http://www.xdrive.com

http://www.iomega.com/istorage

http://www.backup.com

Most of these sites also offer free trials of 30 days or so, which makes it easy to try them and pick the one that is right for you.

When it comes to online storage and backup, there are three strong advantages:

  • Online storage is portable, and you can get easy access to your key files without lugging a lot of gear around with you.

  • You are automatically protected from disasters that affect both your PC and your locally backed-up files.

  • You can easily set up regularly scheduled backups so that you do not need to remember to back up your files after the initial setup.

On the downside, online storage is relatively expensive compared to other forms of storage, ranging up to hundreds of dollars a year per GB, compared to just under $1 per GB for the external hard drives discussed earlier.

Weigh the critical nature of your files and the convenience you require.

We have found that the online backup services are (in general) secure and provide a good value for truly critical files. If you have data or files that absolutely, positively cannot be lost, an online storage option (in addition to other forms of backup) is the way to go. If you want some additional assurance on your other critical files, online backup services are also a good way to go if you do not mind spending the extra money for the added piece of mind.

DVD or CD Storage

The final alternative here is to back up your files to DVDs (or CDs) using a writable DVD (or CD) system. There are some advantages, including the ability to use the DVD system to both back up and to play music and movies. You can also store key files on disc and store them in a safe place without ever having to worry about shelf life (you will likely expire before the data does as long as you store the disks properly). Figure 9-8 show how a DVD-R drive connects.

Figure 9-8. DVD or CD Drives Can Be Internal or External to the Computer


Your computer most likely already has either a DVD or CD drive (check if it is writeable though). To use this method, either the computer manufacturer or DVD drive vendor supplies a software program that can be used to perform backups. It is a manual process, in which you need to decide and select which files to back up (and sit down and perform the backup periodically). But, the discs and drives are cheap, and this is a pretty common type of backup.

There is a way to run backup routines from multiple folders or even multiple computers onto CDs, but we do not think this is a good option for most people. It is much easier to move the files to a central folder and then back up that one folder.

Summary of Storage Options

Table 9-1 provides a summary of all the options for backup and storage.

Table 9-1. Storage Summary Table

Storage/Backup Type

Best Used For

Advantages

Disadvantages

Cost/GB

Flash drive

A few critical files

Flash drives are quick and easy to use and are portable. Memory on these devices is as high as 32 GB at publication time. Everyone should have one of these.

Backup cannot be automated and memory is limited (although increasing every day). Newer devices provide security but most have no security at all.

$50-$100/GB

External hard drive

Backing up user files on a regular basis

Provides massive amounts of storage, and backup routines can be automated.

Because they are co-located with the PC, any disaster that destroys your PC will destroy your backup, too.

~$1/GB

Network storage/backup

Backing up users files from several PCs

All the advantages of an external hard drive plus the ability to back up more than one PC with the same device.

Network storage devices are a bit more complex to set up than external hard drives.

~$1.50/GB

Online storage/backup

Backing up critical files

Probably the safest way to store your data and closest a home user will get to corporate-level backup without spending a ton of money.

The only downside to this type of backup is the cost. It is a great way to back up your files, but you have to pay more for it.

$75-$150/GB per year

DVD-R

Backing up large amounts of data that does not change often (such as music files)

DVD-Rs are a relatively inexpensive form of backup. Once backed up, the disks can be stored just about anywhere and retrieved only when needed.

DVD-R backup cannot really be automated. This is not a good option for backing up files that are updated frequently.

Writers cost between $70-$150. Discs are cheap.




Home Network Security Simplified
Home Network Security Simplified
ISBN: 1587201631
EAN: 2147483647
Year: N/A
Pages: 130

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