TrekStor on Monday introduced a 1Tbyte, 3.5-inch external USB hard drive for backing up data in Windows, Mac or Linux computers.

DataStation, the highest capacity hard drive from the German company, includes backup software for copying individual files, folders or entire drives. The new hardware comprises two 500Gbyte hard drives that are recognized as a single drive.

The software, called Nero BackItUp2, compresses files during the backup process to reduce data volume. The information can be password protected.

Other DataStation features include an on/off switch on the front panel, and an aluminum housing that dissipates heat without the need of a fan. The hard drive ships with a USB 2.0 cable, external power supply, and the backup software. The device costs $430.

While external hard drives can be used for full-system backup, USB flash drives are being used for more than just storage. At least two companies have looked to flash drives to provide security for systems. MXI Security offers a USB drive that provides password authentication, biometric authentication, such as fingerprinting; and identity authorizations. EncryptaKey, on the other hand, has built a USB flash drive that includes a biometric scanner, RFID, Bluetooth, and a Linux-based operating system that can be used to transmit sensitive information to vendors and other partners, while protecting the host computer.

Meanwhile, online backup is emerging as an alternative to products like TrekStor's. Security vendor Symantec, for example, is testing an Online Backup Service for small and medium-sized businesses. The service is aimed at addressing disaster recovery needs, while removing the expense of managing backup technology.