It is very important to backup your user data! Hard drives can fail, laptops can be stolen, or break. If you aren't backing up your data there is a very real chance it could be lost forever. Listed are a few options non-lab users have to effectively backup their files. Example of a USB backup device Burn data to a CD/DVD Pros: Very portable, easily transferrable. Con: CDs are Only 700 megabytes, DVDs only 4.5 gigs. Use an external hard drive (USB connection) Pro: The most space, easy to transfer. Con: Can be expensive. Map the network drive (when on campus, not at home) Pro: Backed up by the CAE every night, so users can get a save from a different day if they wish. Cons: Need to be on campus (possibly need to be on engineering campus itself). Also, space constraints exist. DoIT Bucky Backup Service Pros: Reliability, unlimited amounts of data, can store multiple versions of data, many others Cons: Cost. See DoIT's Cost Calculator .