When files are pulled from a PC to use off-site or for a presentation, some form of portable storage is needed. Floppy disks, a staple of the personal computing scene a few years ago, don't have the capacity to store the larger files now commonly used. Fortunately, high-capacity portable storage options have expanded recently, providing users with products representing a range of cost, convenience and storage space.

Portable storage "has become very popular because the products have grown in capacity and speed," said Matt Martin, director of product management at GovConnection, although he added that security concerns are dampening enthusiasm for these products at some agencies.

The following pages provide information about some of the most popular portable storage options.

CD-ROM: The new old standby

The biggest advantage of CD-ROM is that you probably already own a drive and the blank disks are inexpensive. Most new computers today are outfitted with CD-Recordable (CD-R) technology. It's a rare machine that does not have at least CD-ROM technology, so you can be confident to use your disk on any off-site computer.

But the disadvantage of CD-ROM is the relatively small capacity of 650M per disk. Also, the optical disks can be damaged if not handled carefully.

Removable disk drives/pocket hard drives: Capacity and cost go up

Removable media drives, like the ones sold by Iomega, provide high capacities and fast transfer rates. For example, Iomega's new $400 Rev drive can store 35G per removable disk (90G compressed). The disks, which cost about $60 each, can fit in a shirt pocket. But you would have to carry the Rev drive with you or have one available at every location where you plan to access the data.

Alternatively, many companies offer portable external hard drives, which are about the size of a handheld computer and connect to a PC via the USB port. For example, Seagate offers portable hard drives that range from 40G to 100G. The 100G model costs about $240. Seagate plans to start shipping a 120G version later this summer.