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Flash drives are available in a wide variety of different sizes and capacities. |
Virtually all computer users understand that backing up their data is a must. Notebooks are portable, and as such they are far too easy to lose, drop, or get stolen. All too often, though, people who port their laptops from one location to the next forget to do it when they’re out and about. Even the most diligent among us frequently leave the backing up process for when we’re back at the office after a trip.
Why the lackadaisical attitude when on the road? Probably because it seems difficult, or it’s too much of a pain to bother backing up when you’re away from your external hard drive or company network. However, there are a number of ways to back up your data on your notebook, none of which is a hassle compared to what it takes to create backups at home or the office.  Flash Drives
The easiest and quickest method of backing up your work is with a USB flash drive. Flash storage comes in numerous capacities, ranging from megabytes to gigabytes, and is stable and durable. Stories of resilient flash drives abound; the little beasts have survived washing machines, teething puppies, vehicular assaults, and more. Remember, however, that just because they can often take a beating doesn’t mean you should push it. As tough as flash drives can be, they’re by no means indestructible.
It’s true that flash drives are small and easy to lose track of, but if you’re careful, you can hang on to a flash drive forever. Some are designed to be hung on a keychain or lanyard, which makes them exceedingly easy to locate—unless of course you lose your keys frequently.
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Many businesses provide the means of connection to the company network through a VPN (Virtual Private Network). |
One drawback to backing up with a flash drive is that you can't save your entire system; rather, they're better for saving individual files, folders, or projects. For example, if you have a presentation to make in a meeting, saving all your audio files, images, and PowerPoint presentations to a flash drive is a great idea. As with any backup, remember to store it separately from your notebook; then, if one gets lost or stolen, you’ll still have the other.
Remote Backup Backing up to a remote location is always a smart way to protect your data. In fact, just about every corporation in the world does this. Many companies have branches dedicated entirely to data redundancy. It’s wise for individuals to back up data in a similar way, and for the same reasons—it’s just better to have all your files in more than one (secure) place.
Many business travelers already have an advantage in that if their computers are networked to company’s servers, their data is stored at a location far away from their actual computers (at the office), and they’re backed up again at the company’s data redundancy facility. All they have to do is use a corporate VPN (Virtual Private Network) to tap into the company’s server to access, read, edit, and save their files. | 
Windows System Restore comes with Windows OS distributions and lets you create restore points if your computer is corrupted. |
Individuals can employ similar tactics. It’s quite simple to set up a home computer as a file server. Essentially, a file server is a networked computer whose purpose is solely to store files on its hard drive, which are then accessible via approved network computers. If you have a computer at home—even an older one with a lot of storage space but not a lot of speed—that needs a job to do, setting it up as a file server is a smart move.
If you have your own file server, you can connect to your own home network from any Internet connection and access your files. If you continue to back up your data and computer to your file server, you’ll be covered in the case of a disaster with your notebook.
Backup Software
You can use software to back up your whole system—not just files and folders but also applications and settings. With applications of this kind, you can schedule updates, save to a wide variety of media, and set up various types of backup.
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Setting up a file server at home is relatively simple and requires only a computer and an Internet connection which you can access remotely |
Backup software can do several different types of backups, including full, incremental, and differential. A full backup takes a snapshot of your entire system, including application and system settings; incremental backup saves whatever data has been created or modified since the last full backup; and differential backup simply replaces older files with newer versions.
There are several quality, full-featured applications available for these tasks. Acronis True Image 11 Home ($49.99; www.acronis.com) boasts more features than you can shake a stick at; the program keeps an archive of all your backup activities which allows you to search for and restore individual files, and it even allows you to back up Registry and boot files. Another solid option for backup software is Symantec Norton Ghost 12.0 ($69.99; www.symantec.com) which features everything you’ll ever need to backup your computer and automatically backs up your data after system changes such as hardware or software installations.
Every backup application has its own benefits, and you’ll certainly benefit from having protected data. 
by Seth Colaner
Lock It Down
Protecting your data by having multiple copies you can access if you lose your notebook or it gets stolen is one thing. Making sure a thief or dishonest finder can’t access your personal files, bank accounts, credit card accounts, and sensitive company files is quite another.
There exists powerful software that will encrypt your whole system. Some will lock down your computer if commanded so that nobody can access it, while others will even track the computer for you so law enforcement can catch up to it. Below are some powerful security applications to choose from.
Steganos Secure Traveler
Starts at $29.95
www.steganos.com
Absolute Software Computrace LoJack For Laptops
Starts at $39.99 for a one-year license
www.absolute.com
PGP Whole Disk Encryption 9.8
$119
www.pgp.com
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