The reliance of business operations on the data can not be denied and any loss of the sensitive data could sound the very death knell for any organization. Many of the possible factors like storage media failure, virus attacks and human error could lead to the possible deletion and loss of vital files and folders and may jeopardize the functioning of the entire computer network in a concern.
Over time, various backup media came into the market, which served their purpose for the time and soon became obsolete, to be replaced by more contemporary devices. A good backup media has to satisfy certain criteria. It has to be thoroughly reliable, easily available, handy and efficiently fast. A successful backup media must have a long life span and will last for several years. However, care should be taken that the data is written on a backup media, efficiently and successfully, to ensure its retrieval in the time of need. Any dependable backup media has to be easily available at a reasonable price, so as to ensure that the backup is cost effective. It must be easily accessible, when the files need to be restored and repaired.
A comprehensive backup plan takes into consideration both the long-term and short-term threats to data and often provides for a double set of backup media, one for the day today operations and an extra set stored at a distant location for disaster recovery purposes. Speed and the time required for restoration of data is other important factor in the choice of a backup media. A successful backup media should be easy to use and must not require complex technical expertise for writing and retrieval of data. There is a range of backup media available in the markets, which satisfy the above mentioned criteria to different levels. Besides these criteria, the choice of a backup media is determined by the nature and volume of data, individual preferences, compatibility with the existing hardware, possibilities of getting obsolete in the future and the budgetary allocations. The following are the various types of Data Backup Media:
1) Floppy Disks
Floppy disks became popular in the early 90s, as the chosen storage media. Because of being cost effective and easy availability, they were widely used for transporting data from one computer to another. They can only backup a limited amount of data, but are highly mobile. Floppy disks are suitable for backing up data that is of a limited size and relatively less important. They are susceptible to high temperatures and moisture and deteriorate at a fast pace. Over the years, floppy disks have become almost obsolete and today we hardly come across a computer that is compatible with the floppy disks.
2) Magnetic Tapes
Big and small companies allover the world, rely on tape backup. Magnetic tapes are highly reliable and cost effective and are popular even today. Tapes are capable of storing large volumes of data and can be recycled. They have a relatively long life span of 10 to 20 years. However, magnetic tapes are in the risk of becoming obsolete in the next few years.
3) Optical Discs
Optical discs like CDs and DVDs are currently the most favoured backup media owing to their low price and mobility. They tend to have a very short lifespan of approximately 10 years and are highly sensitive to light, temperature and other environmental factors. Hence it is advisable to keep multiple copies in case of a CD or DVD backup.
4) Hard Drives
For small businesses, hard drives are the ideal storage media owing to their affordability as compared to tapes. They come in a wide range of capacity and cost to suit all pockets. However, hard drives are prone to crash and have a limited life span of only 3 to 6 years.
5) Static Memory Devices
Static memory devices, like thumb drives, flash drives and memory cards are a recent entry into the world of data backup, but are fast becoming popular. Owing to their power and cost effectiveness, they may genuinely be considered to be the future of data backup. Flash drives use a static, non-moving RAM for saving data and are not prone to mechanical wear and tear. They have an exceptionally long life span of 50 to 100 years.
In the opening article of the "Backup How-To's" series ("Why Ever Back Up Data?") we discussed the importance of performing regular data backups and estimated the amount of time, money and nerves they save for an average PC user. Now it's time to learn about different approaches to data backup and understand which of them are suitable for which purpose.
Basically, there are three qualitatively different types of information which require different approaches: file backup, image backup and database backup.
File Backup
Backups of files and folders can be easily done manually through the use of ordinary file system queries. Looking very simple on the surface, files-based backup shouldn't be underestimated. It is the most flexible method of backup with multiple strategies and peculiarities. It allows you to back up files of a specific type only, copy only those files and folders that have changed, and much more; also it provides the fastest way to restore data in case of a disaster.
Disk Image Backup
Disk image backup assumes that data is backed up on sector level, regardless of the file system. This type of copying can hardly differentiate sectors with important data and back up only what you need; usually it is used to create a complete snapshot of a hard drive or HDD partition and back it up as a whole. The main advantage of this approach is that it allows backing up operating system, boot records, and all other data that can't be reached through file system requests.
Database backup
And finally, database backup. Databases consist of "interactive" data that is accessed and modified by many users and programs simultaneously. Often database management systems lock access to certain parts of database tables: for example, when a customer purchases something online, the DBMS locks the respective record until the transaction is finished. Therefore the database becomes unavailable for common copying, and its backup requires more advanced technologies to be used (e.g. special database drivers).
Let's sum up what we've learned so far. There are different approaches to making backups of different types of data. While image-based backup provides complete backup of hard drive contents, file backup is much more flexible and faster. Combining file and image backup appears to be a powerful method for most computers in both the home and business environments. While database backup is less frequent on most workstations, it is a business necessity for servers processing commercial data.
In the next article: Pros and Cons of Backup Software
Both James Wallis & Alexander Rassokhin are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
James Wallis has sinced written about articles on various topics from computers and the internet, Data Recovery and Infidelity. James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you are concerned about data loss and would like more information on see http://www.fields-. James Wallis's top article generates over 60500 views. to your Favourites.
Alexander Rassokhin has sinced written about articles on various topics from Data Recovery, Software and Data Recovery. "Backup How-To's" is a series of articles by Alexander Rassokhin discussing methods and strategies of organizing computer data protection. These articles will be of great interest and use for PC users of all levels, from those who use computers at home to. Alexander Rassokhin's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.