How to Store Your Data for Long Periods of Time

Data Backup Software Can Help Store Your Data

Do you have photos, videos, or documents stored on your computer that you have not opened in a long time? When it comes to the information that we store on our computer, the most important files are usually the ones that do not get used as often. However, these files are still significant to you and losing them would be a tragedy. This is where backup software can benefit you and help keep your files safe.

Why use a backup software to store your files? Having a reliable data backup software is the first step to having better file security. Backing up your files to an external media source will not only keep your files secure, but can also prevent a data disaster. Prosoft Engineering now offers backup solutions to both Mac and Windows users. Data Backup Mac and Data Backup PC have the same features and are a great solution for long term data storage because they can automate your backups and warn you of any errors during the backup process.

Long Term Data Storage

Choosing a backup program is the first step to added file security, but the media device you choose will have to be reliable as well. There are certain types of storage media devices that are better suited for different storage conditions. I will be going over the pros and cons of the four main storage types, which include: external hard drive storage, discs, tape, and cloud storage.

External Hard Drive Storage

In this section, I will be covering both hard disc drives and solid state drives. You can use either of these options for an External Hard Drives, but I strongly recommend one over the other.

From working in technical support for Prosoft Engineering and also working alongside technicians in The Data Rescue Center, I recommend using SSDs (solid state drives) as your long term media storage device. This is because their durability and performance outperforms HDDs (hard disc drives).

Using an SSD for an external backup would be ideal if you are planning on storing the data for a long period of time. Since there are no moving parts within the SSD, there is not a big risk for data corruption by dropping the drive as much as there is with a standard HDD.

If you are looking for smaller storage options, thumb drives or USB drives are also solid state drives and operate the same way. These are perfect for users backing up smaller files and don’t use much storage space.

Optical Storage

The use of CDs/DVDs to store data for long periods of time is still used today, but has decreased greatly due to the affordability of other storage devices. Discs are most popular in storing music and videos. This is not an option that I would recommend backing up to since discs are fragile and can easily be broken or scratched, causing data loss.

Apple no longer sees a use for discs to store and transfer information, as they have removed disc drives as a default option for new Mac computers completely. This is mainly because Apple wants to push the iCloud and make more information available through sharing over the internet.

Tape

The advancements in magnetic tape storage has made this more popular with companies storing large sets of data over a long time. This may seem like a very outdated way of data storage, but tape storage has been enhanced and offers large capacity data storage. You can get tape storage up to 15TB for as much as you would pay for a 1TB HDD storage. This is 15 times the amount of storage, which makes sense as to why enterprises have found this storage media to be ideal for their records.

Although the pricing for the tape is cheaper, everything else needed to use this storage option makes it much more expensive. Also, the handling of this storage can be tricky and it is significantly difficult to pull out specific data from a tape.

Since this option can become expensive with everything needed, and retrieving data is more difficult, I would not recommend this option to any home user as your long term data storage.

Long Term Cloud Storage

The newest form of data storage is not always the best. Although the Cloud can be very handy to store your data, most services require a subscription, and pricing is based on how much data you store. The pricing can become very expensive and, in my opinion, would not be worth it for long term storage.

Data security also becomes an issue when you are using cloud storage. It is not impossible for the Cloud servers to crash and all of your data to be destroyed. Not only are they just as susceptible to this, they are also a target for malicious attacks. Since these services often carry important information, they must have the best data security to prevent information from being taken.

Simple and Flexible Backup Software

Data Backup has many features that enable the user to backup, restore, and synchronize important files with minimal effort. Data Backup provides a simple process and can be an ideal solution for long term data storage. Having the piece of mind that your family photos, videos, and important documents are backed up for the long haul will save you the stress, money, and effort of other storage options.

Another very useful feature of Data Backup is the ability to choose your backup type. This software comes with a complete set of backup types that include clone, simple copy, versioned, and full/incremental. Each type has its own purpose and gives you the option to backup your data in different forms.

The powerful scheduler within the program allows you to schedule exactly when you would like your backups to occur. You can set them to occur every hour, every Monday, or when a storage device is plugged in. The software gives you the flexibility to make your backups work around you. The backups occur quietly in the background so you do not need to have the window open, be logged in, or even have the computer turned on for the scheduled backup to start.

If you have not started your backup today, look into our complete guide for Data Backup users. We understand the tragedy of losing important files, and want you to be prepared for any risks that could cause data loss.

About the Author

Matt T.

My name is Matt and I work alongside the technical support team at Prosoft Engineering to provide friendly customer support for anyone using our software. I am also a customer service representative for their sister company, The Data Rescue Center. I enjoy helping others and strive to inform users on how to keep their files safe and maintain performance for their computer.