How To Store Data Safely

Just how do you store data safely? This question is of vital importance to anyone who relies on digital data. How many companies could get by if they lost all their customer orders? How many people want to explain to their loved ones that they just lost all the photos of that last family vacation? The IRS are never impressed with the 'my computer crashed' excuse- even if it is true, which it often is.

The Most Common Ways of Keeping Data Safe

• Small amounts of data can be stored on CD’s, DVD's, or Blu-ray Discs
• Larger quantities can be stored on extra, usually external, hard drives.
• For large quantities with a high level of security you could invest in commercial storage devices, like RAID arrays.
• You can store data online with a company like Mozy or Carbonite.
• Cloud storage from Google.

There are advantages and disadvantages to every approach. Which you chose will depend on your needs.

Problems with these Approaches

• CD’s etc are easily damaged by heat or scratching. You need somewhere secure to keep them. Blu-ray discs have the best potential for storing larger amounts of data. You could check out this page if you are interested in blu-ray burners: Best Blu-Ray-DVD-Burner
• Hard drives are less reliable than you think- research by Google found that 1 in 12 hard drives fail within two years of purchase. Also, if your back up hard drives are on the same site as your main computers, a fire can wipe out everything in one disaster. A burglary can have the same result. Never-the-less they are popular and provide security if properly used. The new USB 3.0 standard for data transmission also speeds up any hard drive to hard hard drive transfer. Macs are behind the curve on this new technology but there is already plenty of choice of USB 3 for PC.
• Commercial storage devices like RAID arrays are suitable for small and large businesses. They are, however, expensive to buy- starting at around $2000 for a small RAID array. They also need skilled maintenance. These systems can be a good option for companies with several secure sites who can invest in a machine at each to eliminate the risks of loss by fire or theft. A good supplier of state of the art RAID arrays suitable for small businesses is rackmountmart.
• Online Data storage is probably the most secure option. If you chose the right provider it is also the simplest and least time consuming. Many providers offer one gigabytes of free storage so for small amounts of core data it can be a very useful insurance.The draw back is a monthly fee of around $5 for anything over one gigabyte. This $5 buys you unlimited storage so may be cheaper than buying those discs every month.

Some Tips for Keeping Data Safe

CD’s, DVD's and Blu-ray Discs

• If you are using CD's etc for storage it really is worth getting quality brand products for important data that you want to keep long term. Cheap discs are a lot more likely to fail and can fail very quickly.
• Always keep the discs in jewel cases.
• Never touch the surface of the disk.
• Store in a cool place, out of sunlight and away from direct heat.
• Store entirely separately from your computers (preferably another location).

Online Storage

It is worth understanding a few things about online storage if you think this might be the option for you.

• If you store data online it is encrypted on your computer before uploading. The blowfish 128 bit encryption used by most companies is proof against almost all intruders. Only a government agency with a supercomputer and a lot of time to spare could crack 128 bit encryption. It certainly isn’t open to browsing by storage companies employees. Even if a storage company were to receive a court order to access your files, it could not comply because it would not have the resources to crack them open.
• Data in online storage facilities is protected against viruses and malware at a level ordinary individuals cannot usually afford or manage.
• Online storage providers spread data across a number of sites so that it would need failure or disaster in several wide flung locations (a highly unlikely event ) before there is any data loss.
• Backup is usually incremental. That means only changes to existing data or new data are uploaded reducing internet demand.

Choosing an Online Provider

Almost all companies offer one gigabyte of free back up.

If you sign up to an online storage program they will send you software via your internet connection. Different companies use different software and in most respects it is the software that sets them apart. Prices are very similar at the most popular providers at around $5 a month for unlimited storage.

Some software is entirely automatic. After the initial upload it simply runs in the background detecting any file changes and uploading them automatically. There is always a mirror image of your computers hard drive online plus anything you might have deleted from your own computer. A good example of this kind of service is Carbonite.

Other companies offer software that needs manual uploads. You choose files to save and hit upload. These can be more selective but you need to remember to keep updating (though usually there are routine reminders).

Other Ways to help Keep Data Safe.

These are obvious but bear saying.

• Use the back up options in windows and mac operating systems.
• Be aware of fire safety issues that arise with any electrical or electronic equipment especially care with wiring and allowing adequate ventilation to prevent overheating.
• Keep children away from computers with important data stored on them.

Links

RAID arrays explained http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAID

Some popular Online Storage Providers 

http://www.mozy.com/

http://www.box.net/

http://www.esnips.com/

http://www.strongspace.com/