Comparison of Backup Method Data Risk Coverage

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[ The PC Guide | System Care Guide | Backups and Disaster Recovery | Backup Methods, Devices and Media ]

Comparison of Backup Method Data Risk Coverage

Some of the backup methods and devices described in this section do a much better job than others of protecting against the risks to your data. The table below shows a general summary of how the various methods stack up in terms of protecting you from the hazards that threaten your valuable data. Remember that this is just a general guideline; also remember that some of these risks are much more common than others are, depending on how you use your PC:

Data Risk	Floppy Disks	Tape Drives	Removable Storage Drives	Removable Hard Disks	In-Place Hard Disk Duplication	Network Backup	File Archiving
Hardware Failure	High	High	Moderate to High	Moderate to High	Moderate	High	Low
Software Failure	High	High	High	High	Moderate	High	Low
File System Corruption	High	High	High	High	Low to Moderate	Moderate to High	Moderate
Accidental Deletion	High	High	High	High	High	High	High
Virus Infection	Moderate	High	Moderate to High	Moderate	Low	Moderate to High	Low to Moderate
Theft	High	High	High	Moderate to High	None	Low to Moderate	None
Sabotage	High	High	High	High	Very Low	Low	None
Natural Disaster	High	High	High	High	None	Low to Moderate	None

Note: For removable media, the ratings assume proper storage of backup media (i.e., not leaving the tapes sitting on top of the PC box.)

Note: For a more complete picture on how the various methods stack up, make sure to check out the comparison of characteristics as well.

Next: Comparison of Backup Method Characteristics

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