In my last post, I explained why tape backup may not be the best solution. Many business owners still commit to this old standard because, let’s face it, old habits die hard. Change is difficult, especially when that change must implemented by an entire department or business. Ultimately, you need to decide which is better – to sacrifice more time and money just so you can resist change, or to bite the bullet and improve business productivity.
So… if you are ready to consider making the change, what are your options?

Option #1 – Using a CD/DVD

If your data doesn’t change a lot, you can use a CD/DVD recorder to backup your updated files.

Benefits:
• Backups are fairly fast
• Media is compact
• More affordable than tape backups
• Anyone with a CD/DVD drive can access the files

Drawbacks:
• Most people can’t fit a complete backup on a DVD
• It’s difficult to automate backups

Option #2 – External hard drive

Quite possibly the best backup solution. You will, however, need at least two drives so you can cycle one off site.

Benefits:
• Costs as little as 10 cents per GB
• Fast
• Reliable
• Easy to recover

Drawback:
• If you use an external hard drive with USB, the maximum transfer rate for the interface is determined by the other USB devices in use. We recommend using Firewire, since it is faster.

Option #3: Online backup

This is a quick, easy way to backup important data off-site.

Benefits:
• Convenient
• Costs less to setup and run
• Great option if you travel frequently
• No need to purchase or maintain backup hardware

Drawbacks:
• Requires high-speed internet connection.
• Possible cost and speed issues if you need to backup large amounts of data

Of course, this is just a basic overview of your backup options. The best backup solution depends on your business environment and the priorities you set. If you’re not sure what those are, just ask the experts.