High density disks: drives from Iomega and others
As an alternative to the floppy disk, Iomega and others pioneered the development of disks that could hold considerably more than a 1.44 MB floppy. As a results, a number of disk-based solutions typically backup between 100 MB and 5 GB. Two popular options in this category are the Iomega Zip drive, which uses 100 MB or 250 MB disks, depending on the unit purchased, and the Iomega Jaz drive, which comes in 1 GB and 2 GB variations.
Pros: Useful for purposes other than backups, such as sharing data with clients and suppliers.
Cons: May not be as reliable or durable for long-term backups as tape or external hard-drive solutions. Cost of backup disks can be expensive when factored into the total cost. As well, compatibility with other users' systems may be a problem when used to share files. If you plan to purchase a Jaz drive, you'll need a SCSI, USB or Firewire connection.
Cost: Drives vary in price, from approximately $70 for an internal 100 MB Zip drive to $500 for a 2 GB Jaz drive. Media costs also vary, with 100 MB Zip disks starting at $15 while the 2 Gb Jaz disks cost about $150 each.
