Back up/Archive

Back up/Archive

1. Back up

   • This means to make a copy of the data held on the system in case the original data is lost or damaged
   • Backups can be made onto removable media such as CDs, magnetic tape, removable hard disks and then stored away from the PC
   • This is useful if there were to be a fire/flood, if the PC were to be stolen or in the event of a hard disk failure. The original data files could then be restored. Backups can also be made to a different drive or file on the hard disk

2. Archive

   • When data is archived, a copy is taken of it and that copy is stored away from the computer maybe on a CD or magnetic tape. The files on the computer are then erased
   • This is different from 'backing up' where a copy of the data is made but the original data remains on the computer

3. Difference

   • When files are backed up, the original data still remains on the system. Whereas with archiving, once a copy has been made, the original files are removed from the system.