Disk to disk backup is the modern method of backing up your computer or server's data to an another drive. This can be quite helpful to any individual or business who uses a computer to organize their information because many times, months or even years worth of information is stored on one hard drive. Backing up your files now using disk to disk backup can save you weeks of frustration, aggravation, and loss in the future. There are many companies and organizations that provide disk to disk backup services and there are also a few ways that you can perform the task yourself. In this article, we will discuss these services and methods of backing up your hard drive using disk to disk backup.

What is Disk To Disk Backup

Disk to disk backup is a form of backing up information by simply copying the contents of one hard drive to another hard drive rather than copying the files to a tape, floppy disk, or CD/DVD. Disk to disk backup is easy to manage, requires less equipment and software than other methods of backup, and maintains the file structure of your data which allows for you to view, access, and relocate your information faster than other forms of backup.

Disk To Disk Backup VS. Virtual Tape Library

Disk to disk backup replaces an old method of backing up files known as tape backup which involves copying files to a magnetic strip of tape that can then be translated back into computer data. Disk to disk backup is better than tape backup because it maintains the file structure of your computer or server and protects your files from environmental disasters that could harm your information. With tape backup, your files could easily be lost if the magnetic strip of tape is damaged. Disk to disk backup does not have this setback.

Do It Yourself – Disk To Disk Backup

Disk to disk backup isn't something that has to be expensive or frustrating. You can easily perform disk to disk backup by yourself by using the following methods.

Slave Drive

A slave drive is an internal hard drive that is connected to your computer but is not the drive that your computer boots or runs programs from. Slave drives do not necessarily need to have operating systems on them for you to access the files that they contain. In fact, any hard drive can easily become a slave drive simply by removing the pin holder on the back of your hard drive that is set to Master Drive and moving it to the pins for slave drive. When you do this, make sure that your other hard drive is set to Master Drive. By using a slave drive, all you have to do is right click on your master drive (usually labeled as Local Disk C in My Computer) and paste it into your slave drive. This will copy all of your files to the slave drive for you to access at any time.

External Drive

An external drive is a hard drive that sits outside of your computer and usually connects to it via a USB cable. An external drive provides the same functions as a slave drive but provides you with several important features that a slave drive does not. For one, an external drive is portable which allows you to store it as well as your files in a safe location or take it with you to a computer that is in another room, next door, across town, or across the country. External drives are also easy to use and do not require any technical skills. In fact, an external drive does not require you to do anything other than plugging it into your computer which significantly contrasts with the experience required to use a slave drive.

Disk To Disk Backup Services

Hybir Backup

If for some reason you do not want to manage disk to disk backup on your own, you are able to take advantage of a plethora of disk to disk backup services that are available to you. Disk to disk backup services often offer some method of manually or automatically uploading the information on your hard drive to an remote location. The only differences between using these services and backing up your files yourself are that these services keep the copy of your hard drive on a server that you cannot keep in your home or office and that the servers that these services use often have thousands of other hard drive copies stored next to yours.