Thread: File backup

Like hardware, data backup software comes with varying levels of features and complexity. Backup software basically performs two types of backups: image and file. Image backup is when you restore data along with all the settings of the system. The software creates bit-for-bit copies of the source disk-something like the System Restore feature in Windows. This is ideal when you're not planning on upgrading your hardware, or when you need to get back up and running minutes after a disk failure. However, image-based backups typically take a lot of time, which might mean that the user can perform less frequent backups.

File backup, on the other hand, is the conventional copy-and-paste (rather, copy and burn to storage media). The software copies the selected files on demand, or on a predetermined schedule. This is fast, and is suitable even when you install new hardware. The problem with file backup is that if and when the OS crashes, you will have to start installing everything-Windows, device drivers, and your software, before you can use the data. Then again, there is the chance that you might just forget to back up an important new document because it wasn't in the usual source folder for the backup software.



A third type of backup solution is offsite, onlinebased backup. For a price, storage companies allow you to automatically back up data to their servers. This works well if you have a broadband connection. Online backup is file-based; it takes less time, and less space is utilised because only the data is copied (without any settings).