That’s easy to answer - the best file recovery software in the world is the one that works in the wee small hours when you are at your most desperate, most tired, and most needy. File recovery is not necessarily the same as restoring from backups. Backups are targeted at full copies of your computer, but they can and do provide you the means to recover files. When you next get 5 minutes, look at the GB’s of disk space in use on your computer, and then look at the contents of your “My Documents” folder. Probably a massive difference (unless you are storing stacks of video!).

So, whilst you have a proper backup strategy for your computer that will enable you to recover the entire computer (that you run every week or so – don’t you?); what should you do for your data? Key points to consider are:

· How often does this data change?

· Are you interested in saving interim versions of the files?

· Is there just a few files that change frequently whilst the remainder are static month after month?

· Don’t forget your email folders/data!

The other key criterion is the location of the backup copies that you make. Ideally it should be:

· To hand (internet based, USB stick, USB or Firewire external hard drive, CD/DVD)

· Easily accessed (if you use tapes – have you got access to another tape drive or maintenance if yours fails?). USB & Internet win here as every PC these days has USB, and an internet connection.

· Easy to do – drag and drop from a folder on your desktop to a memory stick can be done several times a day if you want.

Once you’ve got a plan together on what to protect and where to protect it, then you can decide how. Some options you can consider are:

· Create an archived folder for documents that do not change – and copy these to an external hard USB disk; copy the changing documents to USB stick daily.

· Rely on a weekly full backup of your computer, and then copy the frequently changing documents to a USB stick

· Use internet based datastores to hold all your documents in the first place. But only rely on the provider to make backups after due diligence.

· Use the new synchronisation services on the internet to keep copies of your data – but make sure you are satisfied that they meet your security and confidentiality needs.

Finally if you use portable media – consider how you protect it. When (not if) you lose a USB stick/disk – to what use could a criminal put the information on it? So consider secure sticks, encryption – and maybe make more than one copy.

Written in association with data recovery experts.