I’ve mentioned online backup services before, but not for a while, so it’s time to take a look at what’s changed, what’s available, why you might want it—and what it will cost you.
Actually, the answer to the last question might be “nothing at all.” A company called Streamload has just introduced what it calls a “Freeloader” account, which allows you to store up to 10 GB of files on its servers free of charge. The catch? Well, you can only download 100 MB of it per month, so in order to make a complete restoration, you’d have to upgrade to a paid subscription. The other catch? Unlike some sites which are dedicated to providing backups, Streamload doesn’t allow you to automate or schedule your backups.
Even so, 10 GB of free storage space is an amazing deal. Cost has always been the biggest reason for people with high-speed connections not to back up online. (The second biggest reason is concerns about the security of your data either in transmission or on the host site. And of course for anyone doomed to dial-up, the thought of gigabyte uploads and downloads brings nightmares.) Xdrive, probably Streamload’s closest competitor in terms of storage bang for the buck, charges $19.95 per month for that same 10 GB of files.
Streamload, which is really aimed at file sharing rather than backups, is just one example of the expanding range and availability of Peer-to-Peer networks. Another, Vembu StoreGrid, allows you to back up your data onto someone else’s hard drive or website.
Online backup services have the advantage of providing you with an off-site backup, the kind that will be there if your house is burned down. I’d recommend Streamload as a good place to make an extra backup of important files or those with sentimental value (like photos of your family). I wouldn’t recommend it (or any other online service) as a place to store anything that’s top-secret sensitive. And it’s not a good option for storing drive mirrors, because you’d have to have a working computer to get to your backup.
Remember: no backup is perfect, but any backup is better than none!
For more information about online backup services, read the November 18 PC World feature article. The article includes descriptions and reviews of several online backup services. Streamload is described in today’s Scotsman.
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You should really check out the online backup software from Remote Backup Systems, Inc.They are on the web at:http://remote-backup.comThey offer no ‘direct’ backup services, but can provide the tools needed to allow you to act as a commercial online backup service provider – for others, and perhaps for yourself as well.cheers!ddb
Another good online backup service is http://www.box.net. For $2.99 a month you can get 1GB of space that you can access at any time. This site also allows users to share files with others.If 1GB is not enough space for you there is also a 5GB account for $8.99/month.
I just signed up for onlinestoragesolution.com. They are offering 10GB for $4.95/month with the following features: Features:10 Gigabytes Storage Space Unlimited Uploads 50GB Downloads Per Month Unlimited Users / Accounts Web Based Shared Folder With Media Streaming Unlimited Virtual Drives Free Toll Free Phone Support No Long Term Contract, Pay one Month At a time Works with all Windows Software Works with Macs, Linux and all other Systems Unlimited FTP Accounts Open Standards Including FTP, WebDav, and Browser based file access. Safe and Secure Networks And Data Center Ebay Picture Hosting Your own address to access your files (http://yourname.onlinestoragesolution.com) Unlimited Workgroups For File File Sharing 30 Day No Questions Asked Money Back Guarantee. They also have a a 20GB plan for $9.90/month with 100GB download traffic.