This method is used by the great majority of external hard drives and online backup services,
as well as CDs, DVDs and tape backups. It also includes all do-it-yourself backup schemes.
Have you ever heard a backup system described as "set it and forget it"?
Well, the problem is the "set it" part.
Most backup systems hand you a disc and tell you to select what you want to back up.
That's great if you're an expert. But what about the rest of the world?
This type of backup system is a potential DISASTER for the average user because 95% of average users
don't know where all of their data resides and
MUCH OF YOUR DATA WILL NOT BE BACKED UP! |
This method is mostly found in backup software purchased separately,
plus some online backup services and operating system backups.
Dataset backups give the user the ability to select types of data (datasets) to back up.
For example, "word processing documents" or "spreadsheets" or, if the program is well-designed,
"Microsoft Outlook data". This systems makes your life easier because, by marking a few check boxes,
you get your data backed up. Don't you?
Well, the answer is that you get part of your data backed up. Consider:
- Auxiliary data files, such as initialization (.INI) files and backup (.BAK and other) files. Yes, you should back these up. No, datasets don't do it.
- Data from new and less-well-known software. There are thousands of these, including OpenDocument, the new standard formats for office documents.
- "Vertical-market" data, used to manage businesses. For example, medical office or warehouse management.
None of the above data (and much more) will be protected by a dataset backup system. |
Wherever Windows stores your data, BACKUPKEY
backs up everything there.
In addition, BackupKey automatically gets all of the data created by many other programs,
such as Outlook, Firefox, Thunderbird and QuickBooks.
If you have created your own data storage location, you'll need to add it to your backup.
If you use "vertical market" software, you may need to add it to your backup.
Fortunately, most people will never need to add anything, because for most people, BACKUPKEY
already protects all of your data! |
