I thought I would ask here because sure someone must know!
Am looking for an online data back up to back up my files.
Am looking for something that offers:
Unlimited Space
Security
Archiving
I found livedrive.com but am not sure they offer archiving?
I know its silly to ask but am sure someone here must be using/ have an Online data back up?
Thanks
-User
*Not sure if this was the right place to post this*
I use Carbonite. Basic plans start at $59/year. For that, you get unlimited automatic backups that work in the background so your computer won't be slowed down while using it. The data is encrypted before it leaves the computer (even Carbonite personnel can't access it) and is transmitted to and from your computer via a secure (https) connection. You can access your data from any computer at any time. It also has thirty day versioning (it keeps any deleted or changed files for thirty days before deleting them). More expensive plans have more features.
The downsides are data transfer is slow so a 24/7 broadband connection is recommended and it cannot be used to store data that isn't on your computer. The slow data transfer rate is only a problem for the initial upload but, once that is finished (it can days or even weeks for the initial upload), it really isn't a problem.
A word on archival. It is a very bad idea to store data in only one place, be it on a HDD in your computer or in cloud storage. At the very, very least, each piece of data should be duplicated in at least one other place different from the original with at least one copy stored locally and one offsite. I always recommend storing one backup copy off the computer but still easily accessed, such as in a different place at home where the computer is, and one copy offsite, such as in a desk at work, at a neighbor's home, in a bank safety deposit box, or in a paid online backup service. The reason I specified a paid online backup service is free web storage sites are notorious for disappearing with little or no warning, taking your data to computer never, never land to be seen never more.
Carbonite can be used for your offsite backup as long as the data also remains on your computer but you should also have a local backup as well. If you feel that would be too expensive, consider how much it would cost to recover your data if it should get lost. Data recovery from a failed HDD is iffy at best and can cost as much as several thousand dollars. Some things, such as photos and many documents, can't be replaced if the data can't be recovered from a failed HDD. Believe me, keeping multiple backups is much less expensive.
Thanks Lady Fitzgerald for the info I have checked out Carbonite and they seem nice and a fair price :) I have sent them a email and waiting for a replay.
About the archival I normally store my data on my USB HDD but my first one died I then brought a second one and about a week ago it died as well
I have lost a lot of stuff but lucky I did back up most of it to SkyDrive, Since I have had no luck with my HDDs I feel moving to a server would be better with the extra of having a USB HDD at my side, That is why I said I am looking for a server that offers archiving of files for life time.
My friend said to me to just buy a could I have been looking into this but online data back-ups are just more simply but sadly I just cant find one to my liking.
Thanks Again
=User
PS before you wonder my HDD's where old (old ish) and I never update/replace them (as I forget too/don't have the money) I take good care of my HDDS but sadly they still don't want to work
Ummm...are you wanting to store files online but are not on your computer or are you wanting to store duplicates of files on your computer online? Carbonite will work for the latter but not the former. If you keep files on an external HDD that stays attached to your computer all the time, you would have to move to a more expensive plan ($99/year).
No. Carbonite is for backups only. You have to have the files on your computer or a HDD attached to your computer to be able to use Carbonite. Reliable online data storage such as you are looking for is expensive.
Frankly, I do not recommend storing anything in only one place including online. All storage media, be it HDDs, optical disks, could storage, etc. are subject to failure. More often than not, it's a matter of when media will fail, not if it will fail. I know this isn't the answer you want to hear but you need to start saving up or get a loan for some more HDDs. Data is not safe unless it is stored, at the very bare minimum, in two places, such as on your computer and on an external HDD (Carbonite can be used here instead of an external HDD in a pinch). Much, much safer would be to keep your data on your computer, have a second copy of your data on an external HDD that is connected to your computer only when making a backup and is kept at home, and a third copy on a HDD that is kept offsite (Carbonite can be used to replace a HDD for your offsite backup). I know it sounds expensive but sit down and figure out how much it would cast you to recover your data if you were to loose it, assuming it could even be replaced. Data recovery from a dead HDD is iffy at best and can run into the thousands of dollars.
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