If you're working on a big project,
it's really important to save often and backup your files.
The safest, most reliable way to make sure you never lose your work
is to keep a backup copy saved somewhere besides the computer you're working on.
That way, even if the computer is lost, becomes inaccessible, crashes,
or anything else that would keep you from getting your files,
you can use your backup copy.
This kind of 'safe saving' is actually really easy to do.
The simplest way is to save your backup to an external storage device,
like a USB flash drive.
However, one drawback to this approach
is that you must always have your storage device with you
whenever you work on your project.
Another option is to upload your backup to a service on the Internet,
such as Google Drive or DropBox.
These services offer you a few gigabytes of storage space,
and you can always access your files as long as you're connected to the Internet.
A great option for students at NC State is to use your personal AFS space.
All students are allotted about two gigabytes of storage,
and you can save to your AFS space from any computer with an internet connection.
On most library PCs, you'll just need to navigate to the K: drive.
This is your AFS space.
On most library Macs, you can click on the MyAFS button in the AdminLauncher window.
On any computer, you can use an FTP client
-- like ExpanDrive or Fugu -- to connect to sftp.ncsu.edu.
To learn more about your AFS space, go to oit.ncsu.edu/afs/personal-file-space
Whichever option you choose,
the key to keeping an effective backup is to keep it up to date.
It's best to make a habit of updating your backup files at the end of every session.
Good luck with your projects!