Copying data to an external hard drive is probably the easiest, most popular way to back up. This won't help save important data against fire or flood, however, unless the external hard drive is the one unveiled by ioSafe at CES this year: the ioSafe Solo.
ioSafe is known for making internal hard drives that can survive extreme heat. The ioSafe Solo is the result of putting that internal hard drive into an external case that features a USB 2.0 connection to hook up to a computer.
According to ioSafe, the Solo can withstand fires up to 1,550 degrees F, compliant with the ASTM E119 industry standard. The drive can also be submersed in fresh or salt water for three days at a depth of 10 feet.
The internal hard drive used in the Solo is protected with ioSafe technologies including FloSafe, HydroSafe, and DataCast.