Online Backup Service

Backup over the Internet

Online Backup Service has been getting quite a bit of press, with some writers really touting it. In fact, PC World went so far as to call it "the safest way to protect data". How they decided that I have no idea. Certainly it has its place and I'm glad it's an option, but it's an option I have recommended against.

Special Note to my clients. Click here.

Here's why:

• ISP upload speeds, the speed that you can transfer from your computer to the internet, are typically very restricted. Ostensibly this has been to prevent customers from hosting a website from their home or business without paying for that privilege (and bandwidth).

  Unfortunately, when you backup to an online backup service, uploading is exactly what you need to do - quickly. Most users with data to protect these days have pictures, MP3's and video. Read that as HUGE amounts of data. Transferring that over the internet at upload speeds of 256k (typical) to 512k can take forever.

• If you only need one file restored then fine, this should work pretty well; and unless it's a full length DVD movie, shouldn't take too long. But even if you have 4meg download speeds, restoring a whole drive of MP3's & pictures to the tune of 20 - 80 GB has to happen via the service sending you some type of media, that you can read (ie, not a tape for a tape drive you don't have), via Fedex.

• Do you trust the online backup service to:

  • Not go out of business
  • Actually protect your data from loss
  • Protect your data from thieves (and please don't say it's not worth stealing! You would be surprised)
  • Not offer your data to government agents (or their computers) to peruse
  • Offer your data back to you in a timely (your timely, not theirs) fashion

• At a cost of $10 per month and up, it doesn't take long to pay for an alternate solution

As you can see, I prefer to have more control over my backups than what is offered from an online backup service.

But that doesn't mean that it's not for you. Carefully analyze your backup needs and concerns and then decide for yourself.

I do realize that some users don't have a lot of options. Remember me telling you about the time I carried 5¼ floppies around with me everywhere? With a good internet connection and a trustworthy service, this may be the route for you to go.