This is How you Protect Hardware, Software And Data From Potential Threats?
Backing Up Data
Is backing up your data important. Yes. In fact, backing up your data is essential to protecting your data when human and/or equipment failures occur. Let's begin with different methods to protecting your data through simple hardware solutions.
Different Hardware Methods To Protect Your Data:
1. Hard Drive or External Hard Drives- You can piggy back an additional hard drive to your computer. Hard drive life is about 5 years. Here you can put all your important data on a different drive. Making your data accessible, if you find that 1) your main hard drive crashed; or 2) if your hard drive failed.
The second drive gives you the option of either manually putting your data over to the hard drive or you can use an application like Norton Ghost to move either your full system backup or folder backup to the recreated drive..
There are different solutions, depending on the the size and type of business you are running. If you are an one person shop, a second hard drive may provide you with all the storage backup you need.
TIP: A portable Hard-drive with an USB connection/with an ac adapter is a great device to use. However, read instructions. Why? If put in service on your computer incorrectly you can blow up your computer's USB ports. Usually this is the sequence that you should follow: 1) plug in the adapter first; 2) then plug the USB cable into the USB port.
If you plug the USB cable into your computer first, without plugging in your adapter into the electrical socket - the unit will begin pulling all the power it needs to make it work directly from the motherboard. The motherboard cannot handle this amount of pull, causing the USB port/ports to malfunction (die).
Since this is important, let me again say: To plug an USB unit/with adapter in you must: 1) plug in the adapter; then; 2) plug the USB cable into your computer. To remove the USB unit; 1) unplug the USB cable from your computer, then: 2) unplug the adapter.
2. USB-Flash Drives – Flash Drives make a quick backup option. Not only are they reasonable but their useful life is 10 years. Several things to note. The USB 2.0 drive offer faster downloads than the USB 1.0 drive. Recommend buying a USB Drive/Flash Drive that states "no drivers needed".
3. CDs- Life of a CD-R or CD-RW can be used for a 1000 rewrites. They have a life span of 5 to 10 years, depending upon care. It’s great for small amounts of data but not large data storage.
4. DVD-Like the CD life span is about 1000 rewrites, Life span is considerably longer however they are more acceptable to scratching and that can make them useless.
5. Zip Drives- The Iomega Zip Drives are compatible with both Mac and the PC. Zip drives are a good option for storing large amounts of data. They are faster and more durable than the floppy. There life span can range from 2 to 10 years. One downside to the zip drive: Prone to failure, causing you to lose your data. Just like the hard-drive-if you begin to hear strange noises, it time to move your data from the old zip drive to a new zip drive.
6. Floppy Drive- The life span of a floppy is about 2-years. The floppy drive is giving way to the flash drive due mainly to the fact it is one of the most vulnerable of all the data storage options.
If you've worked with a floppy you know that they are sensitive to hot and cold, and magnets.
In addition the few external parts that a floppy has, can, after a period of time, fall apart in your hands or in your floppy drive. Both have happened to me.
I've noticed that a lot of new computers are not even installing the floppy drive, instead they are putting several USB ports in the front of the tower for Flash Drives. However, it is still a media that is used on occasion.
Some people who do not have a floppy drive on their computer utilize instead, a portable floppy drive. However, if you feel that you need and want a floppy drive (as I do) you can get a floppy drive that incorporates USB2.0, photo card read, etc in one unit.
7. Online Backup Support - More and more companies are offering online backup support. Before you grab any company's free version online backup service, be sure to check the plan and the total gigs that you can freely download to their site, especially if money is tight.
Power Surges
Power Surges, spikes, electric brownouts (power dims) can all affect the life of your equipment. Power surges can damage your components over time, and eventually cause your equipment to stop working before it's set in obsolesce is reached.
Thus, to protect all your equipment from spikes or lightning choose a surge protector that is designed to cover all lines that connect to your equipment.
What To Consider When Buying A Power Surge Protector
How do you determine which power surge protector you need? You need to know how much joules capabilities a surge protector can absorb to protect your equipment.
Energy absorption- the higher the level of joules that a surge protector has, the better the protection. You should have at least a joules rating of 400 joules-but more is better.
Response time-There is usually a delay in the response time of different grades of power surge protectors.
Backing Up Data
Is backing up your data important. Yes. In fact, backing up your data is essential to protecting your data when human and/or equipment failures occur. Let's begin with different methods to protecting your data through simple hardware solutions.
Different Hardware Methods To Protect Your Data:
1. Hard Drive or External Hard Drives- You can piggy back an additional hard drive to your computer. Hard drive life is about 5 years. Here you can put all your important data on a different drive. Making your data accessible, if you find that 1) your main hard drive crashed; or 2) if your hard drive failed.
The second drive gives you the option of either manually putting your data over to the hard drive or you can use an application like Norton Ghost to move either your full system backup or folder backup to the recreated drive..
There are different solutions, depending on the the size and type of business you are running. If you are an one person shop, a second hard drive may provide you with all the storage backup you need.
TIP: A portable Hard-drive with an USB connection/with an ac adapter is a great device to use. However, read instructions. Why? If put in service on your computer incorrectly you can blow up your computer's USB ports. Usually this is the sequence that you should follow: 1) plug in the adapter first; 2) then plug the USB cable into the USB port.
If you plug the USB cable into your computer first, without plugging in your adapter into the electrical socket - the unit will begin pulling all the power it needs to make it work directly from the motherboard. The motherboard cannot handle this amount of pull, causing the USB port/ports to malfunction (die).
Since this is important, let me again say: To plug an USB unit/with adapter in you must: 1) plug in the adapter; then; 2) plug the USB cable into your computer. To remove the USB unit; 1) unplug the USB cable from your computer, then: 2) unplug the adapter.
2. USB-Flash Drives – Flash Drives make a quick backup option. Not only are they reasonable but their useful life is 10 years. Several things to note. The USB 2.0 drive offer faster downloads than the USB 1.0 drive. Recommend buying a USB Drive/Flash Drive that states "no drivers needed".
3. CDs- Life of a CD-R or CD-RW can be used for a 1000 rewrites. They have a life span of 5 to 10 years, depending upon care. It’s great for small amounts of data but not large data storage.
4. DVD-Like the CD life span is about 1000 rewrites, Life span is considerably longer however they are more acceptable to scratching and that can make them useless.
5. Zip Drives- The Iomega Zip Drives are compatible with both Mac and the PC. Zip drives are a good option for storing large amounts of data. They are faster and more durable than the floppy. There life span can range from 2 to 10 years. One downside to the zip drive: Prone to failure, causing you to lose your data. Just like the hard-drive-if you begin to hear strange noises, it time to move your data from the old zip drive to a new zip drive.
6. Floppy Drive- The life span of a floppy is about 2-years. The floppy drive is giving way to the flash drive due mainly to the fact it is one of the most vulnerable of all the data storage options.
If you've worked with a floppy you know that they are sensitive to hot and cold, and magnets.
In addition the few external parts that a floppy has, can, after a period of time, fall apart in your hands or in your floppy drive. Both have happened to me.
I've noticed that a lot of new computers are not even installing the floppy drive, instead they are putting several USB ports in the front of the tower for Flash Drives. However, it is still a media that is used on occasion.
Some people who do not have a floppy drive on their computer utilize instead, a portable floppy drive. However, if you feel that you need and want a floppy drive (as I do) you can get a floppy drive that incorporates USB2.0, photo card read, etc in one unit.
7. Online Backup Support - More and more companies are offering online backup support. Before you grab any company's free version online backup service, be sure to check the plan and the total gigs that you can freely download to their site, especially if money is tight.
Power Surges
Power Surges, spikes, electric brownouts (power dims) can all affect the life of your equipment. Power surges can damage your components over time, and eventually cause your equipment to stop working before it's set in obsolesce is reached.
Thus, to protect all your equipment from spikes or lightning choose a surge protector that is designed to cover all lines that connect to your equipment.
What To Consider When Buying A Power Surge Protector
How do you determine which power surge protector you need? You need to know how much joules capabilities a surge protector can absorb to protect your equipment.
Energy absorption- the higher the level of joules that a surge protector has, the better the protection. You should have at least a joules rating of 400 joules-but more is better.
Response time-There is usually a delay in the response time of different grades of power surge protectors.
