Backing up your files
There are many different types of media you can use to backup
your data. What follows is a list of the most commonly used media,
cost approximations as well as key strengths and weaknesses. It
is our intention that this information will help you to select the
best media suited to your backup needs at the best possible price.
Please note: The price of data storage varies
widely over time. The figures given below are accurate at their
time of printing. It is assumed that the user will do their own
investigations prior to purchasing data storage media or hardware
to determine their requirements, technical compatibility and cost
viability.
Floppy Disk
Floppy disks are small plastic disks that can be inserted into
any floppy drive of the corresponding size. Due to the plastic casing,
the 3.5" floppy is a little more durable and less susceptible to
damage than a CD outside of it's case. But that is where it's usefulness
ends. Floppies are still more fragile, especially when compared
to USB devices. Apart from serving as boot disks, they are virtually
obsole since they cannot hold enough data compared to other storage
media. You can expect to see them completely superceded by CDs and
DVDs within the next few years.
Cost:
$1-3/ Box of 10 Strengths:
Widely accepted, can work on most computers once properly formatted.
Can be rewritten to multiple times. Cheap it you cannot afford a new
drive such as a burner. Weaknesses:
Extremely limited storage capacity (1.44MB at maximum) which makes
this media almost obsolete. Easily damaged. Suseptable to magnetic
damage and data loss without notice
CD-R/RW
CD Rom backups come in two formats, either write once (CD-R) or
re-writable (CD-RW). The difference being that with the CD-R it
can only burn an image to that disk once, making the backup permanent.
With a re-writable CD-ROM disk and drive, one can copy data to it
multiple times. It is important to note that you will require a
CD-R/RW burner in order to write to CD. CDs store on average 650-700MB.
Although there are disks which can store more data or less data,
you may need to see if your CD burner supports them.
CDs are cheap although rewritable CDs are slightly more expensive.
Price also varies greatly based on the manufacturer, where you purchase
them, how fast they can be written to and how much they store. An
average CD can store over 450 times more data than a single floppy.
However, despite the greater storage capacity, many people - particularly
graphical artists, musicians or people manipulating large volumes
of data, a CD is simply not enough to store all their data.
However for most people, CDs meet most of their backup needs. Only
word of caution would be that all CDs can be easily damaged if sufficient
care is not taken. Especially cheap/ no name brand CDs.
Cost:
A CD-R/RW drive will cost approximately $40 - $60. For CD-R disks,
you are looking at about $1/disk to $50 for 100 disks (700MB). For
CD-RW disks, the costs will be roughly $1.50/disk to $110 for 100
disks (700MB). Please note disk prices vary wildly based on retailer,
manufacturer, speed, storage capacity and volume purchased. Strengths:
Cheap. Store far more data than a floppy. CD-RW disks can be re-written
to multiple times. Weaknesses: Can be easily damaged
if not taken care of. Susceptible to scratching and heat - relatively
fragile. Some can only be written to once, can take up a lot of
space, may not be enough for people using lots of data.
DVD
DVDs are becoming the new storage medium of the future. Much like
their CD predecessors, the cost of DVD disks varies greatly based
on manufacturer, storage capacity, speed at which they can be written
and just how protected they are.
They can store far more data than a CD. The average DVD can store
4.7 GB, which is more than seven times the amount a single 650MB
CD can hold. The new DVD-RAM disks or double sided DVDs can store
double that yet again - a whopping 9.4GB!
Clearly for people with large storage requirements, money to burn
(no pun intended) or those simply wanting to get the next generation
of technical hardware, this is your most logical choice. However,
due to the storage capacity and relative novelty of this technology,
cost is still a strong deterrent for many people.
Much like the CDs, you will need a DVD burner in order to write
to DVDs. It should also be noted that there are two format of DVDs
- DVD-R and DVD+R. This conflict in standards has confused several
people - there is no difference in the disks themselves however
the recording format used on the two is different. You will need
to determine what disks your DVD burner will accept if you plan
on using DVD to backup your data. Otherwise you run the risk of
buying disks you cannot use.
Cost:
DVD burners now run from $90 to $250. DVD+/-R will cost approximately
$1.50 per disk or $40 for 50 disks. DVD-RW / DVD+RW will cost approximately
$3 for 1 disk or 25 disks for $60. DVD-RAM disks cost roughly $25
per disk to $40 with casing. Please note disk prices vary wildly
based on retailer, manufacturer, speed, storage capacity and volume
purchased.
Strengths:
Store far more than a CD. DVD-RW disks can be re-written to multiple
times. Weaknesses:
Can be easily damaged if not taken care of. Susceptible to UV,
scratching and heat - relatively fragile. Conflicting standards.
Cost prohibitive for some people. Some disks cannot be re-written
to.
USB Drives
If portability is of chief importance to you in your search for
ideal backup media, then it is hard to look past the new USB drives
coming out. Taking advantage of the Universal Serial Bus which are
built into almost every new computer today, these devices are easily
recognisable by nearly all operating systems - can plug straight
into your machine and be used to copy files immediately. Unlike
a DVD or CD, no drives are required to use a USB device. If your
computer has a USB port, chances are you can plug almost any USB
device into it. Much like a rewritable disk or hard drive, you can
copy files to and from a USB drive quickly and easily. The USB flash
drives today fit on a necklace, keychain or in your pocket, taking
up considerably less room than a CD or DVD.
However, there are several downsides. At the low end of USB devices
they store around 32MB and cost just under $50 - around the cost
of a CD burner but doesn't store anywhere near as much as a single
CD. Most USB drives store anywhere between 64MB up to 256MB although
there are USB devices that can store up to 1GB as well. However
these will cost you anywhere from two hundred to just under five
hundred dollars or perhaps even more.
As you can see, the strongest deterrent again here is cost. Bear
in mind, a DVD-RAM disk is capable of storing 9.4 GB for no more
than $40, which can store many times more data than even the largest
USB drive. However, having a 1GB flash drive fit on a keychain is
extremely useful - perfect for travelling between locations, being
able to backup your files at various sites or carry those files
on you.
For most people, this is the best reason of a USB drive - portability
and ease of use. These devices are small, portable and can be accepted
onto almost any computer so long as it has a USB port. The largest
USB devices store more than a CD and almost half of a DVD, meaning
that it will more than likely meet your storage requirement needs.
So long as you do not damage the plug or port, it is less likely
to be damaged than say a disk. You just plug it in and copy away.
Another word of caution must be given to space considerations.
Some times computer cases have their USB ports obscured by other
plugs or hardware given the manner in which it was constructed.
Many newer computers also sport a pair of USB ports on the front
as well as the rear of the case, rendering this issue a moot point.
All the same for some older PCs, it can be a valid concern. For
that reason it is recommended that you ensure your USB port has
enough space for you to use the USB device of your choice and ideally
allow for a refund or exchange should there be an issue with it.
If you want the functionality of USB but are not prepared to pay
the extra without obtaining additional storage space, you might
want to consider the USB hard drives. Capable of storing 30GB or
more data, they start at $290 and go up. 80 GB drives are available
for just under $500. These devices obviously store much more data
than any CD, DVD or flash drive. However they are larger and heavier,
often comparable to a medium size book or dense novel.
Cost:
32MB USB Flash Drive for $45 up to 1GB at $660 30GB USB Hard Drive
for $390 up to 80GB at $500. Strengths:
Portability and ease of use. Very durable. Can store almost as much,
if not more than a CD or DVD, depending on the device type. Weaknesses:
Cost more than almost any other storage medium. The USB Hard drives
are also the largest of different backup mediums suggested here.
There are many other types of storage media that can be used for
backup purposes - minidiscs, MO disks, ZIP disks, DAT tapes, etc.
However these are beyond the scope of this document as they less
widely used, more cost prohibitive, require special hardware and
are therefore less useful than the methods suggested here.
If you would like more information regarding possible methods of
backing up your files, it is strongly recommended you contact your
nearest ITS
Service Desk for more information:
Alternatively you can contact your nearest computer or electronic
retailer for more information.
Storage Media Types and Comparisons:
| Media |
Capacity |
Word Document
(100Kb) |
2 Megapixel Image
(1Mb JPEG) |
Strengths |
Weaknesses |
| Floppy Disk |
1.44MB |
14 |
1 |
Widely accepted, work anywhere when formatted, rewritable
|
Extremely limited storage, fairly easily damaged, obsolete,
not cost effective. |
| CD-R |
700MB |
7,000 |
700 |
Cheap, store a lot more than a floppy |
Easily damaged, can only be written to once. |
| CD-RW |
700MB |
7,000 |
700 |
Cheap, store a lot more than a floppy, rewritable. |
Easily damaged. |
| DVD-R |
4.7GB |
47,000 |
4,700 |
Store lots |
Easily damaged, write once, standards issue |
| DVD+R |
4.7GB |
47,000 |
4,700 |
Store lots |
Easily damaged, write once, standards issue |
| DVD+/-RW |
4.7 to 9.4GB |
47,000 to 94,000 |
4,700 to 9,400 |
Store lots, rewritable |
Easily damaged, standards issue, costly |
| DVD-RAM |
9.4GB |
94,000 |
9,400 |
Store lots, rewritable |
Fairly easy to damage, Expensive |
| USB Flash |
32MB to 1GB |
320 |
32 |
Portable, easy to use, very small, hard to damage |
Expensive, not very cost effective |
| USB HDD |
30 to 80GB |
300,000 to 800,000 |
30,000 to 80,000 |
Store more than any other medium, easy to use |
Expensive, still not as cost effective ($/MB), more fragile
than other medium, takes up most room |
Backup Instructions
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