A majority of U.S. households have at least one computer and a digital camera, camcorder or MP3 player.

It’s amazing to see how much of our digital lives are digital. This includes music, photos and movies as well legal and financial documents. It’s becoming more important to secure all of the vital information stored electronically.

You want to protect your digital assets, but you don’t have to be a computer expert. It’s simple:

Step 1: Locate your data. Perhaps you have photos from your digital camera and some music from your laptop at the office. Or, perhaps there are more files on your computer at home. Make a list of everything electronic you own, including bills and bank statements.

Step 2: Select a second place to store backups. Your main computer is the best place to store your digital files. This solves the problem of finding it quickly. The next step is to ensure that the information remains safe.

It is important to keep it in at least two places.

You can get a 320GB external drive for as low as $50. This will give you more storage than many home computers. These external drives are available at electronics shops and can be plugged into computers and laptops. “My Computer.”

Step 3: It’s time to transfer your data. How do you get your data to the external drive? You already know where your digital files are. Either copy each file manually or use backup software to do it automatically. Acronis TrueImage Home (http://www.www.acronis.com/1

Backup software can take a snapshot of your whole computer and all files according to a set schedule. You can then transfer that snapshot to another device. Backup software can instantly restore your entire drive and digital assets, no waiting for hours or days.

While computers can be easily replaced, digital memories are not always easy to replace. Backups are the best way to keep them safe, whether it’s photos, music, or documents.