backup

See also: Security | Compression | Cryptography

The process of ensuring data security by copying information and storing elsewhere. Backups are best utilized when copied and compressed to a remote location. Some large computer systems require back data tapes to be physically transferred to an offsite location on a daily basis. This is just one procedure in a security regime.

With the decreasing cost of hard-drives and bandwidth, backing up software and operating system have become easier than ever. Storing elsewhere is useful as computers can fall victim to natural disaster or theft so immediate backups can be damaged. Making a backup of software and other copyright material is called fair use.

Automatic, weekly backups are useful for common failures but writing to a more perminant media such as a compact disc is also advised once every few months. Cryptography is also used to make sure that backups stored elsewhere are unreadable to anyone but the owner.

Some open-source backup solutions for Windows and Linux:

• BackupPC
• Backup
• Karen's Replicator (windows only)
• Easy Backup (windows only)
• Bacula (Linux, Unix, MacIntosh, Windows)
• rdiff-backup (Linux, Unix)
• Amanda (Linux, Unix)
• Freshmeat: FM: Topic :: System :: Archiving :: Backup
• Open Directory Project - Software Backup

Commercial

• Norton Ghost for Windows
• Retrospect Backup for Windows and Macintosh
• GetDataBack for NTFS/FAT File Systems
• Hivecache for windows, distributed backup using otherwise unused diskspace on other computers on a LAN.
• Veritas backup executive for windows or netware. Mediocre product. Commonly used by people still using netware due to lack of anything better.
• Tapeware, Backup Advanced (Windows, Linux, NetWare, Unix)

Related Topic

• Data recovery

This article is based on a public domain infoAnarchy article: Backup

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