What is the most powerful yet basic use of a computer?

          I would suggest that the answer to the question is the ability to store information. Just think of the data you have stored on your computer: E-Mail (anyone using the Eudora mail client), documentation, class work, research papers, spreadsheets, macros, web pages, databases and the list goes on.

          Take a few minutes to ponder a few questions:

• What do you have stored on your computer?
• How long did it take you to accumulate?
• How long would it take to reproduce?
• How much would you be unable to reproduce?

          Now the most important questions:

• How much of your data do you have backed up?
• How long has it been since you backed up your data?
• Where is your last backup?

          On average, a lower cost disk drive is going to fail once within the first 3.7 years of use. That is why companies typically warranty disk drives for 3 years. Meanwhile, if you purchase a more expensive disk drive, companies typically will warranty them for 5 years. Regardless of the quality of a disk drive, there are two key ingredients: 1) DISKS ARE GOING TO FAIL and 2) YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN (accept that it will probably fail moments before you were going to back it up).

          Keys to a successful backup strategy:

1. Back it up regularly. Make it a habit like getting dressed in the morning. I do not think that there are too many individuals leaving their house in the morning without getting dressed. What is more embarrassing, coming to work in PJ's or loosing 5 years of work? Back it up every morning, every Friday or every first of every month.

2. Select a reliable backup device that meets your needs. Floppy disks are really inexpensive, but it may take more than 2000 of them to back up a modern disk drive. Tapes are great and inexpensive for backups, but do not use them if you only have 5 minutes to backup your machine. Zip drives are faster and somewhat inexpensive, but they can become expensive if you need to backup 5 GB of data. Jazz drives are probably the best backup device but can be pretty expensive. Perhaps, even a write capable CD-ROM drive would suit your needs.

3. Make multiple backups. In other words, do not use the same tape for backups. Use 3, 5 or 25 tapes. Tapes like disks will eventually fail. Thus, if you are only using one tape and it fails in the middle of restoring your data, you are out of luck.

4. Take the backup off site. If it is an office computer, take the tape home. If it is a home computer, take the tape to the office. I know of one couple who followed my advice and backed up their machine regularly. They thought I was getting carried away with the off site advice and they placed the tape in their safe. The problem is when their house was burglarized the thieves carried away the computer and the safe.

          For assistance in developing a backup strategy for your computer, contact Academic Computing Services by E-Mail: ( acshelp@uwosh.edu) or by phone at 424-3020.