(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
Magazine PC Go reminds users to be aware that storage devices such as CDs DVDs USB flash drives and hard drives have a limited shelf life.
Backing up digital files is simple. But the German magazine PC Go reminds users to be aware that storage devices such as CDs DVDs USB flash drives and hard drives also have a limited shelf life.
The May 2016 edition of the publication said manufacturers' life specifications are dependent on optimal storage conditions. Drives and chips do not like temperature fluctuations and high humidity. Recommended is storage in an airtight sealed plastic container.
PC Go said users should calculate a maximum storage life of five years for CDs DVDs or Blu-ray discs while hard drives can be kept for a good 10 years if properly stored.
Experts however do not consider a USB flash drive as a proper long-term storage medium. If users absolutely want to use the flash drives they should reach for a high-value model from a known supplier. Safer are SSD memory drives.
The technically most secure solution to store files is with online data storage - often referred to as the cloud - where the data is distributed among numerous servers.
The online provider also backs up the data making it very unlikely that files will be lost.
The price is one of the disadvantages to the Cloud as hard drives and DVDs are cheaper. In addition there is the risk of data theft or - depending on provider - leaks in privacy.
PC Go’s recommendation is to store the most important data in the cloud and everything else on hard drives DVDs or Blu-ray.
dpa