I’ve never been a big fan of backing up on line. My laptop has a 300 Gig drive that’s packed with info. Not only does it take a long time to backup over the Internet, but I also want to get to my info when I want to get to it, not just when the Internet is available. In addition, I’ve always wondered if these services can scan their data and produce some kind of report, even if it’s only a *general* report. To me, it’s creepy thinking that some midnight security guy could be scanning through my files while he eats his ham sandwich.
At the same time, I recognize that the “Cloud Computing” concept has finally brought easier back-up services to the masses. If this kind of service can work for you, then probably … backing up online is perhaps better than not backing up at all (as long as the midnight snack guy isn’t some Middle-Eastern spy :-) ). The New York Times recently featured a great review on these services. Find it at…
(Thanks to Lissa for finding this New York Times item all the way over in Uganda.)
Doug if there is a middle eastern spy hacking into your files he probably isn’t eating a ham sandwich! :-)
Hi Becky. Good point. I think I had in mind someone much less… sophisticated. Someone like the burglars in “Home Alone,” you know? :-) What were they called… the “Wet Bandits” or something like that?
Here is a similar comparison for small churches to consider when backing up their files – http://www.confessionsofasmallchurchtechie.com/2011/01/07/online-backup-comparison-and-reviews/
Link to story is dead… ?
Strange that the NY Times article does not mention Carbonite, which is perhaps the best known of the online backup services (http://www.carbonite.com). Those mentioned are useful for storing small amounts of data, or transferring files to or sharing data with others, but are not really online backup solutions.
A good intermediate service is Microsoft’s SkyDrive, which provides 25 GB of free online storage. For all the bashing Microsoft receives, I would tend to trust them more than some of these other services.
Note that for truly sensitive information, you may want to go the extra step of using TrueCrypt in conjunction with these other services.
I’ve used Mozy for a while, but just got an email today saying they’re going to do a major price increase. Kind of surprises me… I thought data/storage were headed toward the cheaper end of the spectrum. What I was accomplishing for $9.98/month (my computer + wife’s) will now cost $17.99. Ouch. Wish I had a little more time to investigate Amazon’s storage options. I think that’s where the bargain is, but it will take some time.