Here are 4 simple ways to backup your music (and prevent headaches down the road):

 

1. Use External hard drives

This portable storage device gives you the freedom to back up more than one computer. It’s user-friendly and you can get 1 Terabyte (about 250,000 or more songs) for way less than you paid for your 8-track collection. However, external hard drives, like the hard drive on your computer, can crash; you may also lose the device as it’s quite sleek and inconspicuous these days.

 

2. Use CDs/DVDs

This is another convenient and popular backup option for digital files. If you have the time, you can burn your entire collection to discs and keep them in a safe place. The challenge with this method is that they can get scratched easily, and it’s kind of like taking a step back, frankly. A major advantage to owning digital files is that they create less disorder, backing them up on CDs defeats this move toward a clutter-free existence.

 

3. Use USB devices

Although these little babies have smaller storage capacity than external hard drives, they’re still a decent solution for backing up media files. If your collection is modest, 2GB should be just fine. However, don’t lose track of where you put the device itself. Common problems with this option are software corruption, driver issues, limited capacity and perhaps your dog snapping it in two with his teeth.

 

4. Use the Cloud

Using online remote backup is the best and most progressive way to protect your music library. It’s an “anywhere,” tether-free system that does most of the work for you. You can get the storage capacity to fit your needs and there are many other benefits with this option:

 

• It automatically backs up your files for you
  
• You can access the files from any computer
  
• It enables you to send file-sharing links (instead of hefty email attachments)
  
• It frees up memory on your hard drive for other files
  
• Your music library’s capacity potential increases exponentially

About 10GB should work well for the average collection. Look for the following specs in an online storage service:

 

• Multiple layers of security
  
• High-level encryption
  
• Automatic integration with antivirus software
  
• Archiving capabilities
  
• Blocks viruses, Trojans, spyware, rootkits and other threats
  
• Prevents malicious programs from changing your security settings
  
• Includes firewall and network connection monitor

To get both advanced security and online backup, check out Webroot SecureAnywhere Complete for up to 10 GB of storage space per user: http://www.webroot.com/En_US/consumer-products-secureanywhere-complete.html.