5 Great Ways to Backup Computer Data

I think one of the worst things than can happen to any computer user is losing all of your information and data. I hate to even imagine losing all my photos, music, personal files, taxes, and banking records all in one gruesome moment. What a scary thought! Well, thankfully, the solution to this is fairly simple. Remember to back up your files often! Here I will outline five different and effective ways to back up your data, and discuss the pros and cons of each.

1. Buy a USB Drive

Many people use USB drives for many different reasons. They are compact, user-friendly, and cheap. They are a great mechanism for backing up your important computer files. However, if the amount of data you need to backup is large the USB drive's space may be insufficient. In that case, an external hard drive would be a better option. If you plan on buying or already have a USB drive, check out my article "4 Must Haves for your USB Drive"!

2. Buy an External Hard Drive

An external hard drive is an awesome solution for your storage problems, and it will have more than enough room for all of your files. While not pocket-sized like the USB drive, the external HD is still very portable and can be taken while traveling. Additionally, external hard drives are a cinch to use, it is as simple as connecting the USB cable and dragging whatever files you need into the window that pops up.

3. Storage Online

In my personal opinion, two huge advantages of storage online are: 1. The ability to access your files from anywhere that has an internet connection. 2. Since files are in a remote location there is more protection from elements such as fires, floods, theft, etc. Many places offer free services for online storage including Windows Live SkyDrive.

4. Automatic backup of files

Clickfree offers an interesting automatic backup solution. All one has to do is simply plug in their DVD, external HD, or USB drive and all of your important files will be automatically found and saved.

5. Buy an Uninterruptible Power Supply

This isn't really a backup solution, but it can still save your important files nonetheless. A lot of data loss occurs during power outages and power surges. A UPS will safeguard your computer from this. Most UPS will come with bundled software that will automatically shut down the computer in case of a power outage, making sure that your data is 100% safe from harm.