VMan! Hey what is your real name, if you don't mind?
Awesome VMan! Way to go. I am sure your friend just loved reading through our posts. One thing you will find about the AC community is we will read all posts, generally, and are more than happy to help out. Hell, Donna and Paul are even trying to get me a date, although there is a better chance of stamping down CCHIT than getting me a date, lol.
Before anyone gets confused (as I was), it sounds like he talking about possibly moving the desktop to a server role and having another computer at the front desk. Makes sense. I would do it sooner than later.
As to the simplest way to back up your data (which may not be the best way), you just need to copy and paste the AC folder which contains the database to another place on the computer preferably on another drive off the computer. You will find this (most likely by default)on the desktop computer where your main database is located. This folder will contain the six major databases (all the .mdb files). If anything, you want to make sure the AmazingCharts.mdb file is backed up.
This folder can be backed up to:
--Another drive on that computer
--Another drive on the network, i.e. copy and paste it to the laptop
--Burned to a CD/DVD
--Copied to an external hard drive
--Copied offsite over the Internet via AC where it is automatically encrypted
--Copied to a thumbdrive
The latter is my LEAST favorite way to backing up AC. Many will do this and take it home. I would hate for AC to crash and then think, god I hope I can locate that thumbdrive and it is working. Plus, in order to use it, most will bring it in everyday and have no backup at home.
The biggest problem is that some users will use any backup but especially a thumb drive and back up only ONE copy. You need multiple, multiple backups to do this. I would also recommend backing up the entire computer nightly automatically.
If you are going to back up to a thumb drive and take it home PLEASE download any of the free and/or inexpensvie encryption programs and encrypt it first. If you lose the drive and someone finds it, the files say Amazing Charts right on it. How simple would it be to open them and have all your data.
I will send you another novel on backing up later this evening. Remember, these are just my way of doing it, but I am obsessed with backups. You can never do too many.
