The Types of PC Backup Drives
Backup drives used to mean inexpensive, slow-running tape drives. Today, even high-priced digital audiotape (DAT) backup drives are losing ground fast in the backup drive world. Instead, you now have three choices to pick from when backing up your system:
DVD recorder (especially a DVD-RAM drive): It can store over 9GB per double-sided disc.
Online backup: Use a commercial Internet backup service. (This solution is viable only if you’re using a broadband connection to the Internet; backing up a big hard drive takes too long over a pokey 56KB modem.)
External FireWire and USB 2.0 backup hard drive: An example is the Maxtor One-Touch 4, which comes in sizes from 320GB to 1TB. It allows you to start a full, automated backup of your system by pressing the button on the front of the drive.
The Maxtor unit isn’t cheap, but how much are your documents and files worth? No matter which backup method you use, do your duty as your PC’s guardian and back up your system!