I have written often about the need to make frequent backups of your genealogy data and anything else that is important to you. While not the only backup method available, one method is by copying files to flash drives. Traditionally, flash drives have been capable of storing a few megabytes or perhaps a few gigabytes of data although the exact number keeps increasing every few months as the manufacturers constantly release new, higher-capacity devices.

Today, several manufacturers offer flash drives capable of storing up to two-terabytes. That's more storage space than what is found in most home computers. Today, it is possible to back up your entire computer to a flash drive! 

So see a selection of a dozen or more 2-terabyte flash drives, look at Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=2tb+flashdrive&ref=nb_sb_noss. Prices vary from $25.99 to $49.99, only a fraction of the prices one year ago. (Prices are quoted in U.S. dollars.) Similar prices are available from any other vendors as well.

WARNING #1: Beware of the mislabeled flash drives that claim to have high storage capacity. 

WARNING #2: I would never use this or any other flash drive as my only backup. Flash drives are too easily lost or misplaced. Also, the flash drive manufacturers don’t seem to be willing to publish numbers about the expected lifetime of these devices. I will suggest that a flash drive can be a PART of a backup regimen, along with other backup media.

Never store all your data in any single device, not in a single flash drive, not in a single CD-ROM disk, and not in a single file storage service in the cloud. The wise computer user always makes multiple backup copies onto different media and stores them in different places to protect against hardware failures, natural disasters, loss or theft, or anything else that can result in the loss of a single backup copy.

One more thing to keep in mind: L.O.C.K.S.S. – Lots Of Copies Keeps Stuff Safe