Backup is the process of making copies of data and restore is the process of bringing data back to its original location. The reason of taking backup of the important data is that you can restore it after a data loss event. You can take back up of all your important files like bank records and other financial information, digital photographs, software you purchased, personal projects and other data.

You can utilize some of the storage devices for backup such as external hard drive, CD, DVD, USB flash drive and online backup and storage service. This article will help you in taking the back up of the data on Windows 2003 server based computer.

You should be a member of administrator group, if you want to back up data on Windows Server 2003. Procedure for taking the back up of the selected files and folders is as follows:

STEP 1: Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup. The Backup or Restore Wizard starts.

STEP 2: Click Advanced Mode.

STEP 3: Click the Backup tab.

STEP 4: On the Job menu, click New.

STEP 5: Expand the drive or folder that contains the items that you want to back up. Click to select the check boxes next to the files, folders, or drives that you want to back up.

STEP 6: In the Backup destination box, specify the destination for the new job. To do so, do one of the following:

a) If you want to back up files and folders to a file, click File.

b) If you want to back up to tape, click a tape device.

STEP 7: In the Backup media or file name box, do one of the following:

a) If you are backing up to a file, specify a path and file name for the backup (.bkf) file. Or, click Browse, specify a file name and location where you want to save the file, and then click Save.

b) If you are backing up to tape, click the tape that you want to use.

STEP 8: On the Tools menu, click Options. Specify any additional backup options that you want on the appropriate tabs of the Options page. Click OK.

STEP 9: Click Start Backup.

STEP 10: If you want to set advanced backup options, such as data verification or hardware compressions, click "Advanced". Specify the options that you want, and then click OK.

STEP 11: Review the settings on the Backup Job Information page. Specify whether you want this backup to replace the information that is already present on the destination media, or add this backup to the existing information.

STEP 12: Click Start Backup.

With the above mentioned procedure, you can take the back up of your data on Windows Server 2003 based computer system.