The cutting-edge USB data storage devices make data storage easier and more portable. While the contents of everyones computer are unique in nature, the need to store, transport and archive data is almost universal. Unless you use your computer for occasional letter writing, email and marathon games of solitaire, you will need a data control strategy at some point. The first step in planning your strategy is to analyze the way you use your computer. Then you can determine what you want to save and whether to save it on an external drive, DVD or a USB data storage device.
All Work and No Play
Start with the work you do with your computer. Do you use it for professional reasons? Do you use it to keep records for a personal business? Are you working on the great American novel? Consider anything that needs to be archived; including completed projects that need to be saved should be backed up. Large projects can go on DVDs if you have a burner. They can hold much more than CDs and you can save a little money by storing completed work on record-only DVDs. Work in progress can go onto rewritable DVDs so that they can be updated periodically. If you like to bring digital...