Offsite Backup - What is it?

In many of my posts I have discussed various methods of backing up your data. When I talked about the methods, I try to stress backing up your data offsite. It is important to do so for a variety of reasons. If you are unsure about what I mean with regards to offsite backup, then read on.

For those that haven't heard the term offsite backup, then I'll explain what it means. Offsite backup is simply moving your backed up data to a different location than your original data.

How to Keep Data Backups Safe

While you should backup your data on a regular basis, it is also important to make sure your data backups are safe.

What is the Cost for Data Backup?

While there are many options that you can choose to backup your data, which method you choose depends on a number of factors. In this post I'll concentrate on the financial aspect of data backup. This is always a concern, especially since you will need to finance your chosen backup method. Let's look at the media that you can use to backup your data.

The first option is to use CDS or DVDs. It is probably more practical to use DVDs since they are a few cents per disc and can hold much more data. You can buy DVDs in batches of up to 100 or more, so you should always have enough. The reason you will need so many is because you can't reuse them, at least you shouldn't use the re-writable types. I would, however, look for the quality makes of DVDs to ensure you will be able to read your backups for years into the future.

Create a Data Backup Solution that Works for You

I have had more data to manage in the last 5 years then I have had in the previous 15 years. I'm sure you have also had a rather increase in the amount of data that is currently being stored on your PC. For most of us, the largest space eaters on our computers are digital photos. The problem with digital photos, is that unless you have made copies, you can't get them back if they are deleted.

If you would like to keep your digital photos save for many years, then you have to start thinking about a data backup solution. A data backup solution is not a carved-in-stone template, but rather a method of protecting your data in a way that works for you.

Options for Computer Backup

There are many means that you can use to backup your important data: