If you do not know what data backup is, you might as well be living under a rock. Data backup is the process of backing up your most important folders and files in the event of a catastrophe. This can involve backing up to DVD, external devices or even online. Data backup takes a matter of seconds and can be done by any level computer user. However, there are more expensive options out there if your backup needs warrant them.

This guide will focus on cheap data backup options for those who many not necessarily be ready to invest in more high-tech data backup methods. There are some simple, cheap ways to backup data that take no time at all. Employing one of these methods is better than doing nothing at all. This way you can backup your data within your budget, keep your important data safe and be ready for disaster in the event that something goes wrong with your computer.

Why would you need to backup data?

No matter how you backup your data, it should be a part of your everyday computing needs. Without understanding the need to backup data, you are setting yourself up for disaster. By not backing up your data or only doing it every once in awhile, you risk losing everything that matters to you stored on your computer.

Imagine waking up one day to your computer not booting up: What would you do? Without a backup you might lose all your family photos, financial data or something more devastating. If you had backed up that data, you could access it on another computer or reload it onto your system once the problem is repaired. Otherwise, you would have to resort to expensive data recovery services that may not even worth and are non-refundable once attempted.

There are three primary ways to backup data: To external media, to an external drive or to the Internet. The first two are the cheapest data backup solutions. The third, depending on the security involved in the backup process, can be done cheap but should be avoided unless you are willing to spend the money on more expensive online data backup options.

The easiest, and cheapest way, to backup data is to burn it to some form of media. This includes CDs, DVDs, Zip drives or even old school floppy discs. However, DVDs have become the most popular form of data backup. In some cases, if you use rewritable media, you can continue write over data for some time to keep it safe. In other cases, by using write-only media, you can only burn one copy at a time and data backup this way can end up being quite expensive depending on how much you backup your data.

In order to begin making data backup discs, you want to find the right type of media. This can be difficult depending on your system set up. First, find out what types of DVDs work best with your burner. Once you know what you can use, you can begin shopping around for the best deal. When it comes down to it, cheapest is not necessarily the best route. You want to find DVDs that are going to work and last. The cheaper the DVD, the lower the quality. This means that it may not be the best solution for your data backup needs.

Some DVD burners allow you to burn dual layer DVDs. While this may seem like a practical idea, a dual layer DVD can be more easily scratched than its single layer counterpart. This means that overtime the data on the disc may be lost due to it not being readable in a given drive; plus, if you do not have a DVD reader that can read a dual layer disc, you may not be able to get to the data you need on another computer if you lose things on your primary system.

Make sure when you begin burning data to a DVD that you not only label the information in files and folders but keep a hardcopy of what data is being backed up where. This way you know what is backed up, where to find it and what disc is being used to do what. This will help down the line if you need to make new copies, need to recover data or otherwise need to get a hold of the backups you have made.

The next middle of the budget road as far as data backup goes is through an external media device. This includes external hard drives, UPS systems and other forms of backup that does not take place on the system itself but on some form of external system. This can even include another computer, a server or other device, such as an iPod.

Most consumers will purchase an external hard drive and use this as their primary form of data backup. This can be very effective, because they can be set up to backup instantly, on a schedule or manually. They now come in storage space ranges of 100 GB to 1 TB. Of course, companies are developing portable hard drives in even larger storage capacities. It is only a matter of time before 1 TB of data is the standard for computers and their portable counterparts.

When utilizing a portable hard drive or other external media device, it is important to understand how it works. Most come with software or their own instructions for backing up data, you may want to follow those guides as a way to set up your backup. If you find another way to do it, by all means do it your way but make sure you are properly backing up your files. In some cases, if you delete information off your computer and the hard drive is synced to it, you may inadvertently delete if off your external device, too. This is why it is very important you understand how your particular external unit works before attempting data backup.

The most expensive form of data backup comes via automated online backup. This can be done in a variety of ways. Many retailers offer such services, but so do online vendors, such as Norton. Norton offers data backup services bundled with their new Norton 360 security suite. You get an initial amount of space just for purchasing the software, but depending on your backup needs, you may need to purchase even more space. This is where online data backup services begin to get expensive.

What to do when you cannot afford backup

If you cannot afford backup solutions, even the cheapest of them, there are other ways to backup the most important of your information. While these methods are not foolproof, they can work short term to keep your data safe. The first of these methods is to e-mail yourself the documents and files; however, since most e-mail inboxes have a maximum allowed storage capacity, you may not be able to store much. If this is the case, you will have to pick and choose what is the most important to backup this way.

If you have a web site, you can also store your files and folders on it. However, you will want to take additional precautions to make sure that nobody can just peruse your files without warning. This can be done by creating an access file. If you do not know how to do that, do not upload any files until you have properly set that protection up. Otherwise, anybody can have access to your backup. Depending on your web server set up, you may have a lot of space to work with to backup all your data. If it is a free or ad-driven web server space, you may not have much space to work with. Again, you have to pick and choose what is important to backup and what is not.

If you still are not convinced backing up data is right for you, consider the consequences. If someone broke into your home and stole your family photos or other mementos, you would be devastated. The same idea should be applied to the important data, documents and other information stored on your computer. What about those family photos you took the time to scan, edit and share? Or those songs you wrote and stored on your hard drive? Even something as simple as game play data can be hard to replace once lost.

Why take the chance that what you value the most is going to be lost? For the things in your home, you can take our insurance on the items you hold dearest to your heart. When it comes to your data, you can back it up as often as possible to keep it safe into the future. Without taking the time to research data backup options, find the right one for you and employ them in your computing experience, you are setting yourself up for heartache. Taking data backup strategies seriously is the only way to prevent data loss that you may never recover from.