Desktop Backup Solutions for Home

Backups are the one thing that EVERYONE forgets to do, and is the most important thing a computer owner can ever do with their computer.  The Hard Drive is the key piece of your computer that has a 'moving part', infact, it spins usually at 5,400 to 10,000 revolutions per minute (RPM).  And it holds everything important, and useful about why you have a computer.

I have evaluated several, and here are my two suggestions, one is 'online internet backup only', and the other is more of a swiss army knife, many options tool.

Connected Data Protector
http://onlinebackup.connected.com/plans.asp
- Online Backups over the internet to a secure location.  We use it to backup desktops at Work.  Runs all the time on your computer, so you don't have to 'think' about doing backups. 

- This has monthly recurring costs, but is always available, even if your house burns down, or gets robbed.

Memeo
http://www.memeo.com/memeo.htm
- Local and Online Backups - This is nice because you can setup backup tasks to DVD, or external USB Drive, and not pay an additional annual cost.  Very worth the $29.95.  I run this at home, with just the local backup, but will be signing up for the 1GB ($49.95 a year) backup service as well.  With the online mode, and backup to usb drive do not require any 'thinking' after you configure it.

- This solution provides an online service, which does have a recurring cost, but is completely usable with local storage and devices for a fixed purchase price.  If you don't use an online service, you have no 'outside your house' backup incase of a fire or robbery.

I am personally using Memeo for backups at home, as it allows me to backup to local disks, and remote locations.  The most recent version has dropped the support for FTP site backups (which allowed me to backup key files to my hosted website in an encrypted format), I will miss this feature.  But still its a very good solution.