Backup

The number one reason any function is ignored is due to
lack of automation. Users want to do their jobs and not
worry about anything technical in nature.

There is one solution and numerous ways in which to
deploy a solution.

The solution is to automate the backup procedure. There
are several steps to consider.

1) Insure a network file server is available for users to
connect to. Preferably a login script will map these drives
automatically. Additionally, all apps such as Office suite
installations should be pre-configured in options for
default paths to users network drives when they click File
Open or File Save / Save As.

2) Using either backup software which supports backing up
workstations as well as servers, and automate the process
to grab local document folders along with your server
backups.

3) If you are using POP mail instead of a mail server which
stores mail on a server - insure the POP mail server is
configured to copy all mail for all users into a master file or
individual files per user so you as an admin have a master
email backup.

4) If you are using third-party applications which are
outsourced or web-based and not administered by your
firm - insure those backups are available to you and meet
your standards.

5) Finally - decide on your medium for backup systems -
which could be:
-Tape based
-Optical disc
-Storage server and then to optical disc
-Network attached storage

Hope this helps move in the right direction.

Are you talking home users or office user?

If it's office users, make them save everything to a network drive (make it their private mapping if needed), and backup the network. Tell them if they don't save to the net work, it won't be backed up.

If it's a home user, well, you have to wait until they have a crash and lose every thing before they'll listen and sometimes even that's not enough.

I agree with stuart_at_oz. I learned my lesson the hard way to back up my data. Although, I haven't done so in a while, as soon as I get CDRW, all my stuff will be backed up. As for work, it is imperative that you have the users take advantage of the network drive and they have. I've had issues with that sort of thing with users that support. I tell them (sometimes insist) that they use their personal network drive, in case of a HDD failure.