If you like to live life on the edge, then this article isn't for you. For the rest of us who would be lost without our years of saved email and other not-so-trivial files, read on.

Fact 1: In the lottery of life, you are more likely to lose data than win money.
Fact 2: The more you have stored on your drive, the more you will lose, and the more likely you are to lose it.
Fact 3: The more important the project and/or the closer the deadline, the more likely Facts 1 & 2 will apply.
Fact 4: The cost of recreating (if at all even possible) lost data in terms of time and money is considerably more than the cost of implementing a backup strategy. Restoration not re-creation!

• You need to consider:
- what you need to backup? (documents/photos/music/address books...)
- how often you need to backup? (daily/weekly/fortnightly/monthly)
- to what medium or where to should you backup? (CD/DVD/USB or FireWire drive/tape/network storage/Internet...)

• You should always have at least two backup copies of your important data, preferably one of which is kept offsite from your computer (in case of fire or theft).

Firstly, email backup. There's a freeware/donationware really simple to use (but configurable) application called, Email Backup. It's available for 10.3 and 10.4 users, and will backup Apple Mail, Entourage 2004 and Entourage v.X to a destination of your choice at a time of your choosing. There's a commercial Pro version, too.

Backing up generally: there's a free application called backuplist+ that with a couple of clicks will back up your prefs, iTunes, mail, and any other folder you choose to a destination of your choice when you want. It also allows for a number of dated copies, so you've got a bit of an archive, too.

Add Do Something When to the mix and when you mount an external drive or network volume, your backup software will launch automatically, so you won't forget!

Also on the list:

• SilverKeeper : SilverKeeper is a freeware application from LaCie that automates backups to external storage devices like hard drives, and other removable storage devices that have IDE, ATA/ATAPI, SCSI, USB, or FireWire interfaces.

• iBackup : iBackup supports scheduled backups of files, folders and applications. Further, it uses plugins to backup your settings like the dock, deskop picture, time, firewall, bluetooth and other system preferences. It is also able to backup Application Settings.

• Retrospect : industrial strength commercial software that will backup your data to most media, including tapes for easy off-site storage.

• SuperDuper! : shareware program that can backup, clone, restore and more.


• Carbon Copy Cloner : donationware program that can backup, clone, restore and more.


• Mozy : Internet based backup. Your data is encrypted and uploaded to storage servers offshore. 2Gb is free, or US$4.95/month unlimited.

[ If your hard drive crashes all may not be lost - look under 'Data Recovery Services' in the Client Services section ]

Tags: Backups, Data Recovery