Everyone has heard a horror story from someone who lost everything on their computer because of an accident, virus or hard drive crash. These data mishaps are seemingly inevitable, and while there are few things you can do to prevent them, tech experts agree that backing up your data is the best way to prepare.

When it comes to backup storage for your Sony Vaio or other laptop, you have two main options: online, cloud-based storage, or an external hard drive.

External hard drive - This is a relatively inexpensive option, where you can download backup copies of all of your important data in order to store them and prevent nightmares in the event that your computer has a meltdown.

Risks - Just as your laptop's hard drive can crash, so can your external hard drive, and if this happens, you may be out of luck. Evan Rogers, a writer for tech magazine The Verge suggests buying your external drive from a reputable company, and spending on quality rather than space. And if you run out, Rogers says you can always add more later.

Cloud computing - If you aren't inclined to use an external hard drive, or if you have a number of mobile devices that you would like to connect wirelessly, a cloud backup may be right for you. There are many services that provide offsite backups of your data, keeping it on faraway servers, and making it accessible through the internet. One major benefit of this option is that your information is available anywhere.

Risks - If you stop paying for your cloud backup, it will go away. And if the server you're storing your data on crashes, you (and a lot of others) will lose your information.

If you have any questions about the best way to keep your data, speak to one of the knowledgeable experts at PortableOne, who can help you decide which backup method is right for you.