Carroll County Times Articles
Computer Data Backup for Disaster Recovery
by Andrew Smith – February 19, 2006
As a society, we are relying more and more on our computers to store all kinds of information, from recipes and pictures, to important financial information. It is becoming essential that we protect this information from home-based disasters.
These issues are important for all computer users, but especially so for telecommuters, those with home-based businesses or other small businesses where records are kept in the home. While we can't address all of the concerns someone may have regarding protecting property from disaster, we can address those concerns that affect the computers they are using.
Backup Services
One way to protect your data and financial records from the home is to contract with an outsource provider of backup services. These firms specialize in providing disk space to customers, typically connecting through a high-speed Internet connection such as DSL or cable modem. The data is moved offsite through ftp (file transfer protocol) software and is loaded onto a computer kept in a climate-controlled, fireproof, secure installation.
Fireproof Protection
Another way to protect your data, and one that would apply more to the casual user, would be to invest in a fireproof safe for your home. It should be large enough to contain all of your materials and still not be too heavy to move around if necessary. In it, you should keep all the information that came with your PC when you bought it, including the CDs that were used to build the system. You'll want those CDs, along with all of your warranty information, in the fireproof safe if you ever need to build a new system. Also include CDs and manuals for applications you've purchased (Quicken, QuickBooks, etc). so that you can also reinstall those, as necessary.
Information Management
It's important to understand that I'm not proposing a scenario here where you will be able to reuse your existing PC. Chances are that if your home experiences a fire, the PC will be useless and will need to be replaced. What you can protect, however, is the data on your PC. Most software applications that handle financial information will have a built-in backup utility, and you will want to become familiar with how to both backup and restore the files in these applications. Other home use applications, such as word processors and spreadsheet applications, will not automatically create backups for you. You will need to manage where these files are placed on your hard drive, ideally keeping them in an area where they can all be backed up from the same folder.
CD Burning Hardware and Software
Another thing you will need, is a CD burner installed in your PC. Most recently purchased PCs may have one of these as standard equipment. If you need to outfit your PC with one, they can be purchased for around $60.00 or so, and installed by any competent technician in under an hour. Once you have the CD-burning software installed on your PC, you need to learn how to create a CD with the files you've selected for backup on it. Most CD-burning programs are fairly simple to operate, but always check to ensure that you've created copies of the files you want, before loading one in the safe. Beyond that, you simply need to keep backing up your data once a week, or after you have finished an important project. Blank CDs are only about fifty cents to a dollar, and so for a cost of $52.00 a year you will be able to know that your data is backed up and secure.
As the CDs pile up in your safe, you will want to dispose of the obsolete ones and I recommend shredding or at least cutting the CD in two before disposing of it. If the information is valuable enough for you to want to back it up, there's a good chance that there's information on there you also don't want made public.
So that's about all you need to know to set up a good, cost-effective system to keep your data safe in your home. The important thing to remember to do it on a regular basis.
About the Author
Andrew Smith is Management Information Systems Director of Center for Health Program Development and Management at UMBC, and an Advisor of the Carroll Technology Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating businesses, government and residents about technology issues. Questions are welcomed and may be addressed in future articles. Email advisors@carrolltechcouncil.org or go to www.carrolltechcouncil.org for a list of Advisor categories.
