Computer Files Backup
Makabongwe Maseko
Even with the best of care, any disk can suddenly fail for reasons you cant understand. Many computer users have found themselves unable to retrieve data from disks that worked perfectly the day before, because some defect has damaged a single track or small sector. Hard disks do crash. Any personal computer system can be hit by power overloads, water or misconducts.
Thus, users and big or small companies should always think about backup. The best protection if youre writing, designing, researching something is to make two copies of your data. One copy may be on your hard disk, certainly, but duplicates should be on tape, disks or removable hard disks cartridges, recordable CD-ROMs or flash drives.
If you are backing up less than 10MB, you can use diskettes since that is the most they can take, if you are backing up more than 10MB, then a tape, disks or flash drives can be more efficient. If you work with files daily, then you would be most secure if you backed up all your files every day. If you work with files only occasionally, you need to determine how often backup is needed. And remember to keep the backup media in a different place. If your computer system and your backup disks are in the some structure and the place burns down, your backup is obviously worthless. So consider moving them to a different place or location.
Some microcomputer software programs provide automatic backup. One program would be with Colorado scheduler. What you do is you insert your disk in the disk drive and with a single mouse click on the Colorado scheduler icon, the computer takes care of the backup.
Almost all large computer systems have scheduled automatic backup of either full backup or only those files that have changed since the last backup session.
You should note that some storage medias last longer than others. We have seen tapes deteriorate day by day. And will eventually deteriarate in the next 5 years. But this also depends on how its stored. Hard disks cartridges have shelf life of about 10 years, according to most hard disks manufactures. You can get MO drives but they are more expensive yet also more durable.
The life span of a CD-ROM disk is almost unlimited. Thus you need to archive your backup material before deciding on a storage medium.
Now, be sure to have a timed backup strategy. By this, if you add and change data every day, set your backup software (if you have one) to back up those files every night. And you could keep two storage cartridges: a working one and one stored in safe place. Then exchange the cartridges on weekly bases.
Backing up your information and research has to be a must in your life. If you have not lost any work due to computer crushes, disk damage, or viruses then you better backup you data before it happens. Dont wait for it to happen to you.
