1) Local hard drive - a quick backup which is done in minutes and can be restored in minutes if, for example, your laptop dies and you need to get the data back quickly onto a new machine for that vital conference/presentation
2) Remote backup - takes a long time to do the first time, but ensures that data is always backed up and ensures you have a backup if your house burns down or all your computer equipment is stolen
3) Archive backup - ensures you can always get your old data (even stuff you had forgotten about on old computers) and is probably the only way of getting things such as an old thesis, baby photos, home videos, etc. back in 30 years time when you want stuff for grandchildren/retirement parties/nobel prizes
I work a lot with scientists, doctors, students, etc all who have vital personal and professional data, and although any one of the above three is better than nothing, you really need all three to ensure proper coverage. I know many people who have lost their lifes' work or their most precious memories because they didn't do any or some of the above. These days cost isn't even an excuse - the list above will average out to less than CHF 200 - CHF 300 per year.
I thought the key issue was practical and affordable, but maybe the OP has other ideas. Good points for a range of users.
My laptop's disk is filling up, and I need a second general purpose disk. Is an external USB 2.0 disk fast enough for routine use? If not, what other options do I have?
Laptop is a Compaq Presario v5000, about three years old. Not really interested in getting a new computer right now, as it is adequate in all respects except disk capacity.
Thanks!
Even better if the external hard disk is powered externally by an AC adapter to reduce relying on power from your lappy's USB ports.
A better option if you are technically competent is to remove the internal hard disk in the lappy and replace it with a higher capacity hard disk and restore all data and programs onto it, using the older hard disk as a spare or connected to a USB port using a case ( thus becoming an external USB hard disk ).
Their current offer is CHF 99 for a 3.5" Lacie 500GB Hard disk.
I guess USB 2.0 is fast enough for routine use if you're just surfing the net and writing letters with MS Word. If you are using data-heavy applications such as movie-editing software, something faster would be more advisable.
If you are using USB drives, another factor that needs watching is the number of devices attached to your USB port. USB hubs make it all too easy to attach say half a dozen or more USB devices that are all sharing bandwidth and slowing one-another down. If that's your case, don't expect top performance. I do have lots of USB devices on my laptop that I'd rather not do without, this is why I go the extra mile any buy Firewire disks when I need performance.
Also think about what you are protecting against as well. If just hardware failure then this would be a good solution. If fire/theft, then you need to store the backup in a separate location.
NAS is great as this is on your network and could be located in a different room/cellar (cabling permited). I know someone who uses this solution and has a simular setup at his parents where certain directories are 'synced' (backup made if changes to files / directories are made) at both locations. But a NAS will be more costly.
Antoher option is SAT Docks - Do a quick google search. This is a docking station for 'bare' SATA drives enabling them to be connected to your computer via USB or eSATA. Then you have a cheap way to keep multiple backups.
a) the service could go belly-up tomorrow. so I wouldn't trust ANY service to hold my only copy of any data. backup your backup!
b) treat it as you would any profit-making enterprise. assume that someone could get access to your files. do not store anything online without encryption of some sort.
c) plan and prepare for the unlikely. will you have net access whenever you need to access your data? if you think there may be situations when you may not have net access, provide for another, physically accessible backup.
hope that helps.
To be sure, to be sure, to be sure.
To have a single backup solution is still a risk, especially if that solution is not checked from time to time.
The issue these days is data volumes that you need to backup are increasing all the time. Especially with pictures due to ever increasing resolution.
This means even DVD's are quickly filled with data and one then needs to use several to be able to backup everything.
Hard drive and/or on-line solutions offer higher capacity.
In the end you need to asses your needs and decide what the cost would be if you lost that data.
You might want to consider a photo sharing site like Flickr as well, not only are you backing up your photos, but you can easily show them to other people. It's got free accounts, but I subscribed for a paid account. It's got privacy controls so you don't have to bare all to the entire web.
There's also Picassa , and a host of others I'm sure.