We are often asked about how to back up data or how to transport
data from one machine to another. The answer is either
a “jump” drive or an “external hard-drive”. We
came across an article on one of the many magazines we get that
best describes external hard drives and we’ll like to share
it with you (plus it saves us the writing time…)
FORM FACTOR. External hard drives come
in all shapes and sizes, and most can even be rested vertically
to save space on your desk. Some externals are small enough
to fit inside your shirt pocket, but these tend to be more expensive
and offer less storage space than more conventional drives. Still,
sheer portability makes them a great choice for shuttling data
between home and the office.
CONNECTIVITY. Typically, external drives
connect via USB 2.0 or FireWire, and some offer dual interfaces,
giving you the option to connect either way. If you have
a network setup, you can opt for a network-attached-storage (NAS)
drive. NAS drives provide an easy, relatively inexpensive
way to add storage to our network. Some are as basic as
a hard drive with an Ethernet port; others provide extra USB
and FireWire ports that allow you to daisy-chain additional drives
to increase your overall network storage space. If you
have a wireless network, you can opt for a WiFi NAS drive that
combines storage space with a wireless access point.
SPEED. The speed at which a hard drive
spins, measured in revolutions per minute (rpm), is directly
related to how fast it can retrieve data. In an external
drive, your best bet is 7,200rpm.
BUFFER. Look for a drive with BMB buffer,
rather than a 2MB buffer. The larger buffer enables the
drive to deliver data more quickly and can noticeably enhance
performance.
SOFTWARE. Many hard drives come with
backup and recovery software to ease the archiving of files on
your PC. Instead of purchasing a bare-bones drive, check
each drive’s software bundle for the best drive/software
combo to suit your personal backup needs. -Louis
Ramirez, Computer Shopper
