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*** Backup!!! Backup!!! Backup!!! ***
Welcome to our annual backup
lecture. As the computer world changes, we also change our recommendations. The
one thing that never changes is the necessity of having a computer disaster
plan.
Things happen. Power supplies go bad. Hard disk drives go bad. Electrical storms
can cause
a computer to crash. Power surges can destroy your data. You need contingency
plans!
What will you do if the power goes out? What will you do if your computer stops working? Is your data safe from a fire?
How often does something bad happen? We have no hard statistics. We do know that in many cases, computer failure occurs most often in computers that are not a Dell, Compaq, Hewlett Packard, or IBM. We agree with PC World Magazine that Dell has an excellent record related to a low number of computer failures. We find that the failures of non-branded computers (those computers that were just put together piece by piece) is many times higher than it is for computers with a brand name.
All in all, we believe that one retail store out of 20 goes down per year do to some type of computer failure. Once again, we don't have hard figures on this. This is our estimate based on the technical support calls we receive.
Even if you have a Dell computer or equivalent, a computer can go down due ot power failure or bad current. You should make sure that every computer you own has at least a $39.95 APC UPS (an external battery supply). In the case of a momentary power failure, this $39.95 external battery source can same your computer. You can buy them at www.staples.com or CompUSA or your store of choice. UPS's (Universal Power Supplies) can go for up to $300 and more. The more money you spend, the more time you have to shut down your computer during a power failure and the more protection you get from power spikes. The $39.95 UPS is great and will give you enough time to shut down. The $59.95 version is better. And, the $100 and up versions give you even more protection against certain line and power problems.
For more information, visit Staples at:
So, you have your UPS. What's next?
You need a good backup of your data. If you are using Cash Register Express, you should back up your data directly every day, and you should take that data home with you.
One way to backup your data is to purchase an Iomega External Zip Drive or Iomega External Hard Drive.
We don't own stock in Staples, but you can purchase a 750 MB External Zip Drive from Staples for $179. Go to:
http://www.staples.com/Catalog/Browse/Sku.asp?PageType=1&Sku=492901
Or, you can purchase an external Hard Disk Drive for $179.95. The external Zip Drive holds 750 MB small cartridges that you can take home with you. That is normally enough space to backup your important files on a daily basis. Or, the External Hard Drive holds 80 GB but is not as portable (about the size of a hard-covered book).
Both of these devices use a USB 2.0 Port. If you purchased a computer in the past year, you should have a USB 2.0 port. In that case, you can easily plug in either device without opening up your computer. If you have an older computer, you would need to purchase a USB 2.0 Card.
Both of these backup alternatives are great. USB 2.0 Ports really makes backing up your computer easy. There are lots of other backup alternatives. The important thing is to have a plan.
At Budget POS, we backup our data daily from our Server to an Emergency Server...and we also back up data daily onto an Iomega Drive. We have a large amount of data. All of our backups are scheduled to take place automatically at midnight.