Reading about or hearing about a disk crash and actually experiencing one is like watching skydivers on TV compared to jumping out of the plane yourself. Big difference. Get the idea that a server or workstation you depend on, that you use every day, perhaps the very machine you're reading this on, just stops. At that point, all the data on the drive, all your work and perhaps the work of many others is only as good as your last backup. At the very least, you'd have hours of work ahead of you, installing a new drive, rebuilding the system, etc. Is there ever a convenient time for a disk crash?

Hard disks break down for the same reason cars or refrigerators break down: They're mechanical, and mechanical items are susceptible to physical problems. Not all hard drives manifest problems easily noticed by users before they crash. But if you're one of the lucky ones, when your hard drive enters its "final stages", so to speak, you'll start hearing funny noises or the operating system starts repeatedly advising you to run the Chkdsk command before the disk gives its last gasp. Long before the disk reached this stage, there were a number of unseen indicators presaging the decline. For example, all drives have a normal level of read/write errors which the firmware on the hard drive corrects. As a disk begins to degenerate, the frequency of these read/write errors start to increase. As time goes on, the number of read/write errors that the firmware is unable to correct start to increase and the throughput of the disk gets slower and slower. When you see the signs of your hard drive failing, you should have your computer backed up so you won't lose any data. As soon as you start seeing these signs, you should consider getting it looked at to eliminate problems in the future.

Q: HELP! I went to buy a backup system and had no idea what option was best for my company. Could you suggest a good backup system?

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There are about 5,000 prince and princesses in each Saudi Arabian royal.

A Duke is the highest rank you can achieve without being a king or a prince.

There are more than 600 million telephone lines today, yet almost half the world's population has never made a phone call.

When Alexander Graham Bell passed away in 1922, every telephone served by the Bell system in the USA and Canada was silent for one minute.

The people killed most often during bank robberies are the robbers.

Thomas Jefferson wrote his own epitaph without mentioning that he was US President.

An exocannibal eats only enemies. An indocannibal eats only friends.

The world's average school year is 200 days per year. In the US, it is 180 days; in Sweden 170 days, in Japan it is 243 days.

The can opener was invented 48 years after cans were introduced.

Traffic lights were used before the advent of the motorcar.

Lightning strikes men about seven times more often than it does women.

It has been said, studying history can prepare us for the future. Beyond the boring lectures and books with small, black lettering there are lessons in leadership throughout history. Let's go back in time and see what we can gain for our future.

The time is around 330 BC during the reign of Alexander the Great, known by many as one of the greatest military geniuses in history. After conquering the known world and beginning the journey home, Alexander was traveling with his army in what is now Southern India. This journey coiled through a very bleak desert for hundreds of miles. The immense heat and lack of food and water began to wear on the horses and draught animals the army was relying on. Exhaustion, malnutrition and dehydration set in and the animals began to die. The men were forced to walk on foot through the blazing desert. Although there were a few strong animals left that could have carried Alexander, he refused to ride while his troops suffered. This was a challenging task for Alexander, for only a few weeks before he had nearly been killed by an arrow which had punctured his lung. He also dismounted all his offices, so all men shared the same circumstances.

About mid-journey, when men were now dying of exposure and lack of water, one of the scouting parties found a small, brackish rivulet of water. The soldier carefully scooped the water into a helmet and brought it back to Alexander. Alexander received the helmet with thanks, and then did something extraordinary. He extended his arm and poured the water onto the sand. He would not take refreshment which his men were unable to share in, especially since he had decided to take the route which had led to their suffering. Alexander's gesture had an electric effect on the army; as if everyone had a drink from that helmet.

As leaders, it is our role to not only boost morale, but also be role models. Think of the lessons of Alexander the Great and apply them to your leadership style.