4 Hard Drives to Protect Your Business Data Back up your bytes and supplement your data storage with these hard drives.

If you ever doubt the value of backing up your files, learn from my example: When I was cleaning up my computer's desktop, I grabbed a file thinking it was an older version of a document, tossed it in the recycle bin and clicked "empty." Poof, eight hours of work went up in digital smoke. Fortunately, I had backup. My external hard drive--set to make hourly, daily and weekly copies of my system--recovered the file instantly. If, like mine, your entire business runs off of one computer, consider connecting one of these hard disks. It's an investment in peace of mind.

Cache and Carry
Western Digital My Passport Edge
(500 GB for $100)
Slim, small and fast, this USB 3.0 drive is about the size of a cigarette case and comes preloaded with software that allows you to protect files with a password and perform backups automatically. Since it draws power from the computer's USB port, it's supremely portable--no power cord or bulky adapter needed.