Using an External Hard Drive as Backup Storage

External hard drives have taken off lately because of the improvement in their capacity, reduction of size, and the lower prices they have now compared to a few years back. They are devices that act the same way an internal hard drive does, but with the difference that they are connected externally by the use of cables, usually USB. Some bigger hard drives need an external power source to operate; this can be accomplished by a power adapter and in some cases a battery, but most hard drives now use energy very efficiently, so they can be powered by the USB data connection itself.

Due to their ease of use, portability and storage capacity, external hard drives have been increasingly used as back up devices. Two physical sizes are the most common; some hard drives house 2.5 inches drives and they are known as compact drives. The other hard drives house 3.5 inches drives and are bigger and a little bulkier, but usually cheaper and with a higher storage capacity. All these drives are typically connected through USB, but some have capability for Firewire and SATA connections.

Before choosing your hard drive, you must be aware of your computer's properties and its compatibility with the new hardware. USB is the safest bet because all computers have this input. Other connections such as Firewire may be incompatible with your PC so you might need to purchase more hardware like cables, and adapters.

Another aspect you should consider before you choose to buy an external hard drive is the use you are going to give it. Some users have their external hard drives connected permanently to their computers and use them as a way to increase the PC's memory. If you want to use your hard drive like this, your hard drive will use RAID-1 configuration. Many drives include in their packaging the software required to do this, but if not, you can always download the software from a third party. One advantage you would have doing this is that you can back up data constantly in real time without worrying about modifications. Most users however, only attach the hard drives to their computers to back up their data or to retrieve stored files. This allows them to save up space and to keep their files safe in another place.

Regardless of the use you give to your external hard drive it would be a good investment. Modern hard drives are small, affordable and very reliable and they can save you from losing your data because of a virus or a damaged hard drive. Save some money and next time you go to a hardware store make sure to get one.