Correct laptop protection is important!

An effective protection plan for your laptop is more important than a similar protection plan for a desktop computer.

Think about it!
A notepad or laptop computer is a more fragile piece of equipment than a desktop computer. It is more often used in a movable environment and it is also more susceptible for theft.

What laptop protection precaution should you make?

1 Backup your laptop
First of all, your vital data need to be protected! You must create a backup of your data in some form!

There are different ways of doing this. It all depends on your backup needs and how you use your laptop computer

Backup to your network
Do you use your laptop for your work in an office and have access to a network. Then dock or connect your laptop to the LAN network and copy your data to the server or create a backup file and copy this to your server.
This backup must be made at regular interval to be effective. Discuss with your network administrator how this should be done in order to follow their routines.

Backup to your desktop
Backup your data and share it with your desktop computer. The important thing is to have your data in more than one place. Find the right software and connect the laptop to your desktop.

Backup to CD or DVD
If your laptop has a CD or DVD drive, then one alternative to protect your laptop is to backup your whole hard drive or the important files you are working with and make backup via your player to CD-ROM or DVD.

Backup to tape
Do you have access to a moveable tape backup recorder?
This is the traditional method to make backup with. With a movable tape recorder can make a full backup of your hard disk.

Backup to ZIP drive
Backup your laptop to other external drives like ZIP-driver, to USB backup drive or FireWire backup drives. These drives tend to backup smaller amount that is used on today’s hard disk. Yet they represents very convenient ways to backup your working documents from your laptop.

Online Backup
Backup your data to an online backup service.
For full online protection of your laptop data, backup the data to a remote location where it is safe.

2 Lock for your laptop
Are you traveling with your laptop or notepad? Do you use your laptop in your work on the road or traveling by air? Use a cable laptop lock as an accessory to prevent theft while traveling or in your workplace.

3 Password protect your laptop
Password protect your laptop. Don’t use the default auto-login used in Windows 2000 and Windows XP. This is especially important if your are working with confidential information and you want to prevent any outsiders to access your computer.

4 Encrypt your vital data on your laptop
Encrypt your vital files. Prevent any outsiders to access sensitive information. Even if the laptop has been stolen the burglar or user of the computer will have a hard time to access the encrypted files.

5 Case for your laptop
Use a carrying case for your laptop protection. This can be a hard case, a laptop case bag or a laptop backpack

This depends on your needs.

How will you transport your laptop?

Is it in airports and you need it to be more burglar proof and you want to avoid it being crammed among others items and avoid friction?
Then a hard case is what you need.

Do you want to carry it on your back outdoors or carry it by hand in a more convenient case?
Then a laptop bag is what you need.

6 Don’t leave your laptop unattended
Make sure that you can see the laptop at all time and don’t leave it unattended to prevent theft.

7 Power surge protection
If you are in the countryside or in a third world country, chances are that you will experience power spikes. Of course this can also happen in an urbanized area. Use a power surge to secure stable ac power supply to achieve high your laptop security.

8 Don’t expose your laptop for shaking
Make sure your laptop is not exposed for external impact and shakings. If the laptop is exposed for shakings the laptop should be in a shock-absorbing laptop bag.