Function

• The PST file contains all email and contacts. The PST file can grow to several megabytes of data storage. A network administrator or home user can copy the PST file to a network drive or an external disc such as a CD or DVD.
  
  

Significance

• A corrupted PST file or deletion of the file causes you to lose all stored email. Backing up and restoring the file minimizes data loss. The PST can also be used to move email to a different computer. You just copy the file to a new computer where Outlook is installed.
  
  

Considerations

• When backing up a PST file, always ensure it is working properly by opening it in Outlook. This ensures that the backup copy is not corrupted or you can lose your data even though you have a backup on a CD or hard drive.