Backing up Files
It is amazing how each year many students and staff will place the faith of an entire year’s work in one place of storage, such as a hard disk, USB key or the almost extinct floppy disk. People are accustomed to hearing constant warnings about many things, such as slow down, stop drinking, stop smoking and still choose to ignore these messages, while issues such as data storage may not be perceived to be a major issue until you lose what you have worked on for so long.
The best advice I can offer you is to make as many backups as possible, while also keeping a system to easily identify the latest file version. No data storage device can be guaranteed 100% failsafe so PLEASE ensure that you backup regularly using several reliable sources. Many students call into our office each year wondering why they can’t get the only copy of their final year project off a USB key that completely bent out of shape due to a lifetime of being sat on in a pants pocket or some bag between the heavy books and leaking bottles of coke. Below I list various ways that you can easily backup your files and the risks that go with them.
In recent months there has been an explosion of online services that offer backup and storage of files on the so called internet cloud. These services are normally reliable and some are offered free from well know companies to get you using their other services.
Advantages of saving to the cloud is that your data can be accessed from any location and is safe should you computers be destroyed. You are reliant on the service you use to secure your files and there is always a possibility that your account could be deleted if inactive or should a subscription lapse.
Online storage – Email / Servers / Cloud Services
myCIT Student Email or any Gmail account
This has to be one of my favourite ways to easily and reliably backup important files online. CIT’s Student Email service is provided by Google’s Gmail. This allows students to store over 7GB of data at present, and it continues to grow. This is more than adequate to backup a lifetime of office documents from medium to large sized files. Gmail is the most advanced webmail system at present and it utilises Google’s search engine to find the exact file you need at anytime from thousands of files within one or two seconds. You can also use your myCIT or Gmail account to backup and sync your contacts and calendars from your computers to the web interface.
Google enhances their service regularly and has services such as autosave backup feature for webmail users. PC users can also download third party plugins to allow virtual drives on machines using the free space on their Gmail account. Creating a separate Gmail account for backups in addition to your regular email account may allow more storage and easier sorting of your files.
Although Gmail keeps backups of their servers and risks of data loss are minimal compared to portable storage media, there is a very low possibility of Google ceasing its service, closure of accounts, or hacking attempts. Accidental deletion from the account user or someone with access would pose the greatest risk with any online account.
Other Email Accounts
Above I recommended Gmail as a fantastic way to secure your data. Of course there are other email service providers such as hotmail, yahoo, and college accounts but limits may apply to the amount of data you can store and they do not have the same organization and search tools as Gmail. Also some service providers, such as Hotmail, have restrictions on accounts and may automatically delete all files in your account if you do not login within a time limitation.
Dropbox – www.getdropbox.com
Dropbox is my personal favourite application and service for backing up files. The sync application is available for Apple Mac, Windows and Linux users and the company offers 2Gb free storage. Files can also be accessed through a web browser on any platform. Once installed it is extremely easy to use and syncs simply by using a shared folder you can select on your machine.
The service uses Amazon’s S3 cloud technology to store your files and users can upgrade their storage to 50Gb for $10 per month. I use dropbox on my Macs and PCs at college and at home and it seamlessly synchronises files between all machines. The web interface also allows you to view deleted files so you can recover them should you accidently delete a file in a shared folder.
Dropbox is currently in beta testing and you can only signup by invitation. If you would like to receive a free invitation, please leave a message on citsu.ie/forums and I will send you an invitation if you agree to give other students an invitation when you have your account.
MobileME Accounts (.mac)
Apple MobileME accounts are an easy and usually reliable way to backup your files for Mac users. This service caters for Apple Mac users and in addition to storing your valuable documents, photos and files, it will also synchronise and copy valuable system files in case of a system failure. It allows up to 20Gb of online storage and web space and users must pay an annual fee. Additional features include Back to My Mac which allows you to access and control your Macs from anywhere in the world and online webmail/calendar. Trial accounts are available for free for 60 days from their website.
Microsoft Sky Drive
Microsoft is offering 5Gb free storage for users on Microsoft Live. Files can be accessed through a browser interface and sync applications are being developed for Mac users. The service has the benefit of saving history versions of your files but it lacks the simplicity of Dropbox. Other competing paid services worth mentioning include Box.net or Jungle Disk.
Server Folders
Many students within the college have access to server folders and accounts. The benefit of these accounts are that you can have easy access to your files and programs from anywhere in the college. Although throughout the year there may be a minority of network or server issues reported by students, this service has been reliable. I would recommend that every student should have access to some form of storage account while at college. Until then you may be able to find someone who is able to offer you free server space.
As with all of the online storage methods listed above, risks of data loss are minimal compared to portable storage media, depending on the company you use. Accidental deletion from the account user or someone with access would pose the greatest risk with any online account.
Fixed Storage Devices
Hard Drives
Hard drives are either a reliable way to store your data or possibly one of the worst ways depending on what type of computer user you are. Although the sizes of drives are getting increasingly bigger each year, this makes it harder to sort and find files. Desktop search engines such as Apple’s integrated Spotlight or Microsoft’s Desktop Search are an invaluable tool for trawling through thousands of files.
The greatest risk associated with hard drives is that of data corruption caused by a system problem or computer virus. It is extremely important that you keep regular maintenance of your disks, in addition to backups, ensuring that your system updates and anti-virus software are up to date. If you are on a budget you can download a free version of AVG’s popular anti-virus program online.
Portable Data Media (oh no)
The Students’ Union offers the most competitive prices on campus for various types of portable data media, including 3.5” Floppy, 700Mb CD+Rs / RWs and 4.7Gb DVD+RWs. Although these are an easy way to save your files, they are fragile and easily lost on campus. The Open Access lab in the IT Building has a large collection of disks containing projects and files from unknown students over the past few years. If you recently lost a disk, we hope that you have your files backed up, if not pray that it’s in this graveyard of lost grades.
Optical Media – CDs / DVDs
Optical storage media are an extremely inexpensive way to transfer large amounts of transferable data. They vary in so many formats from CDs to DVDs and Rs to RWs. Then you have to start worrying about the + and –‘s! Why so many formats you say? Well it all came down to various competing companies not being able to reach agreement on one standard. Years of bickering and the lessons still have not been learned, which resulted in the recent Blue Ray vs HD DVD battle.
The Students’ Union has in stock the most requested optical media on campus at very low prices. CD+Rs and CD+RWs can typically store up to 700Mb of data. DVD+Rs and DVD+RWs hold on average up to 4.7Gb of data (1Gb = 1000Mb) or over 3,200 floppies on one DVD. With so much data on one disk, it is important that you verify all recorded disks to ensure all data was saved correctly. These disks have a life of less than 10 years in some cases and are prone to scratches, which can damage them beyond repair.
Portable Storage Devices
Flash Memory USB Keys / Data cards
The flash memory industry has expanded greatly in the past few years. Demands for large amounts of cheap, reliable, quick memory have increased exponentially. Their uses range from USB Flash Memory Drives to iPod MP3 Players to storage cards for digital cameras, games consoles, telephones and hand held computers. Overall this memory format is reliable, depending on manufacturer, and should be used only to transfer data. Mechanical failures have been known to happen on rare occasions and the main risk is, with all portable media, that the device is lost or damaged. As storage increases and prices drop, it has become even more important now that you have systems in place to regularly backup files as you now have more to lose!
Portable Hard Drives
Overall per Mb, this is one of the most inexpensive ways of transferring and backing up files. It is possible to purchase an external case and place the latest drives into it to store over 2Tb of data. Data may be transferred using many means such as USB2, Firewire, eSATA or SCSI depending on your drive. In addition to the risks posed by normal hard drives, there is an increased danger of loss or damage during transport.
Backing Up Your Internet Browser:
As more and more services and applications move onto the cloud, the operating system that we knew, such as Windows, becomes less important. The internet browser has become the new battle ground as industry and customers realise that the underlining operating system has little relevance to access services in the world wide web.
There are several tools available to backup and sync settings and bookmarks between your computers. I would recommend that everyone should download, install and use Mozilla’s free web browser, Firefox. It uses less resources that Microsoft Internet Explorer and is more secure and reliable. It is also available on various platforms such as Windows, Mac, Linux and mobile devices. Plugins such as Foxmarks can be installed to sync your bookmarks and password settings between all you computers no matter what platform you use.
