July Bits-N-Bytes

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Do you have a portable brain? What if you lose it!
By Leo Bletnitsky

Everyone seems to be buying USB memory sticks (thumb drives). They can hold up to 8GB of data and
are oh so cute and small.

Both individuals and companies are using them to transport their important files and to back up their data. And why not? Like I said above, they are cute and small and convenient.

What if you lose your memory stick or it gets stolen? Do you have anything important or confidential in
there? Of course you do, otherwise you would not be carry the data around with you.

If you use a memory stick to back up your important data and or carrying client lists or other private information on your thumb drive there are a few things that you should know and do.

1. If the data on the thumb drive is not encrypted, anyone can read your files.
2. The data on the thumb drive is not permanent like a CD or DVD. It can be lost of overwritten
3. Small items are easy to carry, but also easy to forget and lose.

There are a number of solutions to the above issues.

1. Backup your important data either with an automatic tape solution or with an offsite data backup service like the one offered by Desktop Valet. Your data will thank you!
2. If you are using thumb drives to transport data, use secure thumb drives (ones offering a data encryption option).
3. Put the thumb drive on your key chain, you are less likely to loose your keys than a small USB thumb drive.
4. If you still insist on using the thumb drives as your main backup solution, please use more than one drive with the same data, and keep them in a secure location.

Happy computing!

Leo Bletnitsky has been in the IT Consulting and Management business for over 12 years and is CEO/President of Desktop Valet and LBA Networking, Inc.
Leo can be reached at Leob@DesktopValet.com or 702-553-3200 x101.