College of Health Sciences
School of Education
Helen Bader School of Social Welfare
Options for Backing up Data
Presented by
Business Administration & Technology Operations
IT Support Services
Introduction
Having a backup copy of important data is the best defense against unforeseen data loss
incidents. This document looks at the different ways to back up data.
Personal U: Drive Space
Network users can save data to their own personal drive space (usually identified as drive U:
once you log in). Each network user has 250 MB of space on this drive, and it can be accessed
any time you are logged into a machine on the network.
* No additional space can be obtained once you run out so using this method in combination
with some of the other methods is a good idea.
Pros:
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No charge to use
Daily data backups are taken
Cons:
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Small space limit, with no increase in size
Purchasing J: Drive Space
Network users in Enderis Hall have the option to purchase additional drive space located on the
Enderis server. The cost for the space is $14/1 GB/1 Year. To request additional space on the
server network users can e-mail [email protected] or call the support help line at 229-6115.
Pros:
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Daily data backups are taken
Backup tapes are stored in a safe location insuring data security and reliability
Inexpensive if bought in small quantities
Cons:
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Can be expensive if bought in large quantities
External Hard Drives
External hard drives are stand-alone devices that connect to your personnel computer (PC) via
USB or FireWire connections. While it is the most expensive data backup practice, it is the
easiest to perform. External hard drives come in many different storage sizes and, once they are
connected, you can use them like you would use your personal computer’s hard drive. You can
also take them on the go and connect them to other personnel computers in case you want to
back up data on multiple machines, or transfer data between different personnel computers.
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Options for Backing Up Data; July 2007
External Hard Drives
External hard drives are not included with faculty and staff personnel computers, and need to be
purchased separately. For purchasing information please e-mail [email protected] or call the
support help line at 229-6115.
Pros:
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Easily connectable to computers via USB connection
Many different storage sizes available, great for large backup needs
Faster data transfer speeds
Portable, can be taken back and forth and used with multiple computers
Durable and have long data retention—about 15 years
Cons:
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External hard drives can be damaged if dropped or mishandled
External hard drives are somewhat vulnerable to magnets
Expensive investment ranging from about $100 to hundreds of U.S. dollars for models
with the most storage capacity
CD-R/CD-RW Discs
Saving your data to CD-R or CD-RW discs is another useful file backup method. The difference
between the formats is that CD-R format allows you to write or save files once to the disc. Once
you write to the disk, it is used up and cannot be erased. The CD-RW (CD-Rewriteable) format
allows you to write multiple times to the same disk provided you have enough space left. The
CD-RW format even allows you to erase the contents of the disk so that you can write to it again.
Disc sizes usually come in 74 min (650 MB in size) or 80 min (700 MB in size).
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Options for Backing Up Data; July 2007
CD-R/CD-RW Discs
You will need to make sure you have a CD-ROM drive that supports CD-R and CD-RW formats
if you decide to use this type of media. The face plate of the CD-ROM drive on your personal
computer will display a logo of all of the formats the drive can recognize. If you see the Compact
Disc Re-Writeable logo then your personnel computer has the ability to save data using either
format.
Pros:
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Good media for backup archives
CD-RW (CD-Rewriteable) disks can be written to up to 1000 times
Long life span (5 to 10 years) if taken care of properly
Not vulnerable to magnets
Cons:
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Unable to edit files once they are written to the disc
Can become scratched and unusable through mishandling and daily use
CD-R disks can only be written to one time
Can only hold between 650 and 700MB of data, much less than a DVD disk
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Options for Backing Up Data; July 2007
DVD-R/DVD-RW Discs
You can also use DVD-R or DVD-RW discs. The advantage here is that DVD discs can hold
more data than CD-R or CD-RW discs. DVD discs hold 4.7 GB of space compared to the 700
MB of space a CD disc holds. Dual layer DVD discs are also available and can hold up to 8.5
GB of data on a single disc. The difference between a DVD-R and DVD-RW is the same as the
difference between a CD-R and CD-RW. The DVD-R can be written to once; the DVD-RW can
be written to and erased multiple times.
You will need to make sure you have a DVD-ROM drive that supports DVD-R and DVD-RW
format if you decide to use this type of media. The face plate of the DVD-ROM drive on your
personal computer will display a logo of all of the formats the drive can recognize. If you see the
DVD-ROM logo along with a RW (Re-Writeable) logo then your personnel computer has the
ability to save data using either format.
Pros:
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Large Storage size. Can store 4.7 GB (single layer) or 8.5 GB (dual layer) of data
DVD-RW (DVD-Rewriteable) disks can be written to up to 1000 times
Incredible data retention lifespan—30 to 100 years
Not vulnerable to magnets
Cons:
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Unable to edit files once they are written to the disc
Only newer computers come with DVD drives, so it will require an investment if you
don’t have one
Can become scratched and unusable through mishandling and daily use
DVD-R disks can only be written to one time
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Options for Backing Up Data; July 2007
USB Flash Drives
USB flash drives have become very popular with faculty, staff and students. USB flash drives
have essentially replaced floppy disks due to their speed, compact size, reliability, and the ability
to hold more data. It plugs into any of the USB ports on your PC. Your computer will treat the
flash drive like an additional drive that can read and write files. Flash drives are available in
different sizes, and some come with write protection locks that help prevent accidental deletion
of data.
Pros:
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Available in different sizes which makes them good for small or large file backups
Quick transfer speeds
Easy to install (just plug into a free USB port on your computer)
Durable and highly portable, easily fitting into the smallest of pockets
Not vulnerable to magnets
Cons:
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Some of the higher end flash drives can be a bit expensive
Can be easily misplaced
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Options for Backing Up Data; July 2007
File Backup Software
There are some programs that can be used to schedule and backup your files from their original
location to other directories or drives in the same computer. One such example is a program
called SyncToy. It is a free Microsoft program that can be used to copy, move, and synchronize
files to different directories on your system. A link to the latest version of the SyncToy program
can be found here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/prophoto/synctoy.mspx
* Schools of Enderis Technical Support do not support products like SyncToy. Please be careful
when using this product as the user assumes all of the risk associated, including loss of
important files.
For more information, please contact:
Business Administration & Technology Operations
IT Support Services
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 414-229-6115
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Options for Backing Up Data; July 2007