Why should I have a data backup and recovery procedure?

Data backup involves the process of archiving your important information apart from your computer. All your important files, photos, songs, etc. should be saved in more than one place. It is critical to save information in more than one location. If your computer's hard drive fails, the failure may cost you all of your information, your time invested in creating your information, and the time to recreate your information. Unfortunately, it is not possible to recreate certain information such as favorite pictures. The time to restore information from a backup file is less time consuming and less frustrating than recreating your entire system of pictures, songs, documents, Internet favorites, saved emails, desktop backgrounds, system settings, and more. Hard drives are like light bulbs. The question isn't will it stop working; the question is when will it stop working. A couple hundred dollars invested to implement a backup system is pennies compared to the cost to repair and restore your system from scratch.