Letowt Associates

October 10, 1997

BACKUP! BACKUP! HOW DO YOU BACKUP ?

Dear Colleague:

Have you done a backup lately? While all hard drives will eventually die, most uses of backups are for simpler problems. A misplaced "*" in a "DEL" or "ERASE" command can be just as devastating as a hard drive crash (especially if you were in the root directory and deleted the COMMAND.COM file). Closing your accounting period too soon (and now you need to un-close it) can be scarier than facing the Internal Revenue Service. I backup my accounting data before and after closing each month. A couple of weeks later I release the "before" backup.

Save your important files nightly. Since we started writing our newsletter in 1985, we have frequently told you "backup horror stories." In the last couple of months I have heard three. I won't upset you with all the gory details, but I will say that I hate "backup horror stories."

Huber's law: The chances of losing your data are directly proportional to the length of time since your last backup.

back up your hard drive

often

most economically

least media and time

restore easily

three kinds of backups

three types of backup media

The methods:

Full backup. All files on the hard drive (or in your specified list) are backed up at one time. When you need to restore your system, all of your files can be copied back at one time. Full backups take the most media and the most time each time you backup, and are the easiest to restore.
Incremental backup. All files that have been created or modified since the last time you backed up. This uses less media each time you back up, but requires that you save all of the backups since the last full backup. When you restore you must start with the original full backup, then each of the incremental backups, in order. This is the most complicated restore procedure.
Differential backup. All files that have been created or modified since the last full backup are saved. You only need to save the last couple of differential backups. When you restore, you will need the original full backup plus the latest differential backup. This option is somewhere between the above two choices, but is not readily available. Some backup utility programs offer this option.

Diskettes. This used to be the most popular, is the cheapest but the most time consuming. This method is the most frustrating as you have to sit there and keep feeding the diskettes into the computer -- best to call a good friend or valued customer to visit with while doing this process.
Magnetic tape. If the tape capacity you select is greater than your hard drive capacity (or the portion you want to backup), this isn't painful at all. Stick the tape in, start it up and go for a cup of coffee. Most tape backup software will allow you to set it up to run at night when you are not even there.
Removable hard drive pack. If you have a dual drive system, you just copy one drive to the other. While the above two media require that you restore the data back onto your hard drive, removable hard drive packs don't need to be restored. Just insert the backup pack in the drive and you're back to work. Unfortunately, this is the most expensive media.
Another computer. I have a friend who uses an old computer for his backups. He has them connected via "Lap Link" and transfers his important data regularly.

Do you ever lose the file that you printed? Do you not always know the date you printed something or if this is the latest version? On the last page of every document place the full path and file name along with a date and time stamp. This should be in a small font to separate it from the rest of the document. In order to be sure this stays at the bottom of the last page, I put it in a page footer at the end of my document.

My favorite "softwear" award goes to Nada-Chair. This back sling is placed around your lower back with straps that go around your knees. When you put it on you know instantly that your back is now in the position that it should be while sitting. Originally designed for meditation, it is not only great for working at the computer or your desk, it makes sitting in a stadium a do-able experience. I liked this product so much I bought one and am now making it available to my friends and clients. Call me at 203 838-5255 if you want to try it on. This is the only computer product I know of that supports itself.

Warning: Only 812 days to the year 2000; only 26 month ends.

Ricki Letowt

P. S. An ounce of thinking ahead is worth a pound of doing it later.

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