Online Backups

[Franca]

Has anyone used any of the online backup services? As a registered WinZip user I receive occasional promotional e-mails, and today received one for Carbonite. Does anyone have any info about this or any other online backup options - pros or cons?

[LoisWakeman]

I have a subscription to ibackup for occasional use: my daughter 'borrowed' it while she was at uni to keep copies of her coursework. It does what is says on the tin, as they say!

http://www.ibackup.com/

But I have oodles of spare space on my hosting account that I could use if I wanted!

[Kelvyn]

I have 5GB of backup space on Xdrive (http://www.xdrive.com/) which works OK - and is free. I don't use it a great deal, though, as like Lois, I can also store backups on some of my web space.

[dthomsen8]

I have 5GB of backup space on Xdrive (http://www.xdrive.com/) which works OK - and is free.

This Xdrive review from November 2005 doesn't really explain the pricing. (http://www.devlib.org/articles/how-to-guides/online-backups/2/)

The pricing has changed to make the first 5Gb free, which I am supposing is a way to get those who want more storage space to pay for it, and that's how they support the free disk space. After all, disk space now really cheap.

I guess the only way to see their pricing is to join. I do find it annoying when any web site is coy about their pricing.

[dthomsen8]

Franca,

See also my Backup Software (http://www.desktoppublishingforum.com/bb/showthread.php?t=3614) thread over in General Publishing Topics.

David

[Kelvyn]

I guess the only way to see their pricing is to join. I do find it annoying when any web site is coy about their pricing. As it is part of AOL, you will already have an account! Just sign in with the AOL screen name and password. Even then I think you will not be able to find the pricing of larger amounts of space.

My main use of Xdrive is for file sharing with friends & family. I can upload a file and then use the system to email them a link to download it - they get to see some AOL ads, but it is better than giving putting the files on one of my servers and sending out the emails myself.

[George]

Has anyone used any of the online backup services? As a registered WinZip user I receive occasional promotional e-mails, and today received one for Carbonite. Does anyone have any info about this or any other online backup options - pros or cons?

It seems on-line back-up is the only way to be secure in the event of a fire. But, what if one is storing stuff that does not yet have a registered copyright? How secure should one feel about that? Who really has or can get access?

I suppose I could store copies at another location. I don't know if I like that option either. Maybe, I could put some discs in the shed.

(But for my software programs, in the event of fire, I think I'm going to have to let them burn, and deal with an insurance company. A fire proof storage would be difficult and of questionable integrity, I think).

George

[Kelvyn]

It seems on-line back-up is the only way to be secure in the event of a fire. But, what if one is storing stuff that does not yet have a registered copyright? How secure should one feel about that? Who really has or can get access? The best on-line archive providers take security very seriously. The risk I would guess is more likely during the file transfer stage. This could be done via secure ftp or similar to minimise that risk. The file could be encrypted and compressed as perhaps a .rar file with password protection.

Fire is the main reason for external storage. Locally I use external hard drives for backups - I suppose I could build a suitable safe storage area somewhere in our garden to keep them in.

[dthomsen8]

...Fire is the main reason for external storage.

For your location, fire may be the main reason, but some of us are concerned about burglary, and others about floods and earthquakes.

Having just made a complete backup on 9 DVD's, I now look at them and wonder about external storage, either physically, or on the web for the 22GB separate backup made before the DVDs.

[George]

Fire is the main reason for external storage. Locally I use external hard drives for backups - I suppose I could build a suitable safe storage area somewhere in our garden to keep them in.

Well, if you have a close relative you trust near by, you could, maybe, keep a copy of some discs at his/her house. Unlikely both homes will burn at the same time. I think about this kind of stuff forever until something really neat comes to me.

George

[deB]

... Carbonite. Does anyone have any info about this or any other online backup options - pros or cons?

I'm about to become a customer. I know a couple of (non-industrial-strength) users who are completely happy with it.

There's a big-deal difference with Carbonite compared to most other ways of doing backups: it's automatic, hands-off (and unlimited). The best thing I ever learned about backup schemes is that no method is any good if you don't actually do the backups. I own an external tape drive and two external hard drives whose "hardly ever used" status is a testament to that.

Carbonite just starts running and as long as you're connected to the Internet it keeps backing you up, continuously. It could clearly be a bandwidth hog, and as I say, I haven't used it yet, but for $50/YEAR it sounds like it's worth a shot.

fwiw.

deB

[Michael Rowley]

deB:

There's a big-deal difference with Carbonite compared to most other ways of doing backups: it's automatic, hands-off (and unlimited)

There's one snag about some of those 'unlimited uploads', namely that if you do need to use the backed-up files the amount you can download in a given period is limited to what you have paid for.

[Franca]

I'm about to become a customer. I know a couple of (non-industrial-strength) users who are completely happy with it ... <snip>

Carbonite just starts running and as long as you're connected to the Internet it keeps backing you up, continuously. It could clearly be a bandwidth hog, and as I say, I haven't used it yet, but for $50/YEAR it sounds like it's worth a shot. Please do let us know how you like it! I have been trying out Mozy. It costs about the same and, like Carbonite, backs up continuously or on a schedule, according to your settings choices. I suppose I should do a test restore before I say how happy I am with it. ;) But it seems to be doing a good job without getting in my way. I will report back after more testing.

[Mike]

I've been using Mozy for a while now and generally I'm happy with it.

On the Macs I have to use a betaa copy of the software and that's played up a few times -- in fact it's not working on the paid-for account now.

Their support is very responsive and helpful but unfortunately I just haven't had the time to do anything about it.

The PC software works absolutely fine and my wife has never had a problem with it on her Mac -- in fact she doesn't even know it's there. I'm waiting till she needs to restore something before I tell her it's installed.