Choosing an online backup service

Online backup services help you recover from hard-drive failures or file corruption on your computer, and they can be less labor intensive than burning backup discs or manually backing up to an external hard drive. Online data storage allows users to keep important or bloated files (such as music and videos) on a secure remote server. Some backup services allow you to share files with others, or sync your files across multiple computers. Reviews warn that online backup is not a replacement for backups on an external hard drive, but keeping a remote backup can be good secondary protection. Many online backup services, such as CrashPlan and Mozy, offer online and local backups for one price.

Most basic backup sites, such as Carbonite and Mozy, are geared toward the home user and provide a simple, fuss-free experience. Full-featured backup providers, like SOS Online Backup, allow more user control and customization and are typically geared to business users. Most online backup services have client software that allows users to access the service as if it were on a desktop, but the user-friendliness of each interface varies. Typical users don't want to spend a lot of time configuring their backups, and reviewers are quick to point out which interfaces are frustrating or hard to use. Some online backup services offer a certain amount of free storage space or a free trial period, which is a great way to try out their interfaces to make sure you're comfortable with them.

Most services have the same basic feature set. They allow you to either manually select files to back up or schedule a full backup. Most do incremental backups, storing changes to a file already backed up on the system within a short time after the change is made (ranging from seconds to hours). Most online backup services also feature a fully automated backup operation that kicks in when the system detects idle time or low processing activity on your computer, although services with more advanced features let you play around with these settings. Most online backup services also offer file versioning, and you can restore older versions of your files.

File syncing services are becoming increasingly popular, and these services -- like Dropbox and SugarSync -- offer online backup in addition to file syncing, file sharing and multimedia functionality. They can be a great choice for frequent travelers or those with multiple computers, but they are typically more expensive than basic online backup services, and they don't provide as much storage space.

Most storage services use at least 128-bit SSL encryption to transfer files and another form of encryption to protect data residing on servers. Some services also allow you to choose a private encryption key. This encrypts data on your machine rather than on the company's servers, thus providing a higher level of security during transfers. However, if you lose or forget that encryption key, the backup service can't supply it, and you'll lose access to your stored files.

Here are some other things experts say to consider when looking for an online backup service:

  • You may not want to store highly sensitive information on a website. Many reviewers note that data kept on a remote server, as is the case with an online backup service, is more vulnerable to unauthorized access than data that's on your own computer. All online backup providers use some sort of encryption (and sometimes multiple encryptions), but you might not want to take a chance with your most valuable data.
  • Check the system requirements. Most online backup services come with an application (called a client) that manages backups and file transfers, but not all clients are compatible with non-Windows operating systems.
  • Look for online data backup with automated scheduling. The best online data-storage services have automatic schedules so you don't have to remember to back up. Whether you schedule backups to take place hourly or daily, you should have a choice of full control or an automated task.
  • Consider your Internet connection. Initial backups of large files can take hours or days, even on a broadband connection, and it's best to perform large file backups at night. Keep in mind that subsequent backups are done incrementally, which goes much faster.
  • Use other forms of backup. Online data storage saves time and space, but you should never put all your proverbial eggs in one basket. Most services do not promise that they can restore your data should a hardware, software or business problem occur. Consider alternatives such as CDs, DVDs, external hard drives and USB flash drives for primary storage.

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