Your data is precious. But a tipped cup can be all it takes for coffee to wipe out your computer's hard drive. With more sensitive and essential data stored on computers than ever before, don't let a simple, ordinary accident wipe out all the work you've done. Use a backup system to ensure your files are safe, even if your daily computer is ruined beyond repair. However, there are over 10 different ways you can backup your files. How do you know which options are the most secure? Here's a look at some backup options and their pros and cons.

Cloud Backup

Everything has moved to the cloud, and that's why cloud backup is the first on this list. With a cloud backup service like Mozy, your files are transferred to the web and sealed behind tight encryption. This kind of backup is great for users who find themselves on the go and using a variety of different devices. Just log in to your account from any machine with an Internet connection and all your files are at the click of a button. While this option is popular, it does entrust your files to a third party, and after that you rely on that service's security against hackers and data breaches.

Local Backup

Local backup keeps you autonomous. Use an external hard drive or even an old computer to transfer your files over each time you update them. This can be an inexpensive option as external hard drives have fallen in price over the years. While local backup protects you against hackers, it is vulnerable to thieves and home disasters like fires, since it is stored on-site.

Incremental Backup

This can be practiced with either a cloud backup service, or a local one. Incremental backup is a technique in which you only backup the most recently changed files each time you work on them. This is quicker than full backups. A full restore, if needed, can be more time consuming as full backup files and your incremental backups are required.

Differential

Differential backup is the scheduled backup of your materials in which, on each backup day scheduled, only the files that have changed are backed up onto your full backup server or hard drive. While this saves you the time of backing your files up each and every time you change something, once you do back up your files, it can take much longer.

Mirror Backup

Mirrors simply create a copy of any files you delete in your account. They are held on the server for 30 days before they are wiped. Mirrors aren't considered a backup option by many, but they are used by online backup services. While this is a handy feature for an online service to use, it's not a solid backup system.

Full Backup

A full backup doesn't just include your docs and simple files. This allows for a complete transfer, or restoration, of your computer's settings, files, installed programs and more. With this technique, a computer can be restored in moments even if you must replace the hard drive. One drawback, however, is that if there are any viruses on your computer at the time of the full backup, said virus(es) will still be functional and malicious.