Online Backup

[radhak]

Last week I signed up for free online backup at www.mozy.com, after reading a heady review on newsweek.

Free gives you upto 2GB of storage; for around $5 per month you get unlimited storage; they recommend only data storage, not system files. Not too bad - for around $60 a year, you could dump all your machine offsite !

I thought 2GB is good enough for a peace-of-mind off-site backup. I do have external drives, but if a plane crashed into my home, I'd lose everything , while this is accessible from anywhere.

You get to configure it to select the folders/files you want backed up. It works best if you identify critical folders - that way if you have newer files you want backed up, just place it in one of those folders.

I have folders for my passwords, tax files, etc, and then I included some select picture folders from the past to span all the years. The pics take up most of the space.

The first time it backs up, it takes a long time, around 30 hours. Runs in the background with no hassle. After that, it backs up every day within seconds.

Funnily, their backup software works faster than their website - I've found their site a bit sluggish.

I have not yet restored anything to verify, shall do so one of these days.

I hope some of you find this useful.

[Alex Franke]

I chose Carbonite and am extremely pleased so far. They even have previous file versions available, and it's brain-dead simple to use -- fully integrated into Windows explorer, and in the background. You don't even know it's there.

For me, it was $3.40 a month. Also unlimited storage.

Here's a thread where I detailed the differences among some of the larger online backup solutions.
http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=39352

Might want to check to see if they have a referral program in case others here are interested. Carbonite gives you and the person you referred a subscription extension if they sign up, which is a nice little benefit. I don't know if Mozy offers one, though.

[radhak]

Thanks alex. Somehow I had missed the earlier thread, maybe because I was on vacation.

The 2GB for the free suits me well for now - I shall keep with it for some time before I decide on upgrading. Have you done a restore to see if how it works?

[Alex Franke]

Thanks alex. Somehow I had missed the earlier thread, maybe because I was on vacation.

The 2GB for the free suits me well for now - I shall keep with it for some time before I decide on upgrading. Have you done a restore to see if how it works?

Yeah, I have. It's remarkably easy and intuitive. There are a couple of ways to see what's backed up -- first of all, you can browse your own file system. File and folder icons get a little green dot in the corner if they're backed up, and a little yellow dot if they're pending. You just right click and select Properties, then there's a Carbonite tab that has details about the backup, including when it was last backed up, and how many previous versions are available.

Then, when you browse "Computer" (where C:, D:, removables, etc, are) there's another "drive" called Carbonite Backup Drive, which is organized into "Backed up files", "Pending Backup" and "Recovery Log". Within the first two categories, everything is organized just like your file system -- you just browse to what you want to recover (file, folder, everything) and right-click and select from "Restore", "Restore to..." (different location), "Restore previous version", or "Do not backup". The files are then downloaded, decrypted, and put right back where they originally were (or wherever you wanted them to go).

It's a very slick app. Is Mozy pretty similar? They were both recommended to be by some folks at Microsoft, so I think you're safe with either one. .

I have about 80GB backed up. It took a while to get it all uploaded obviously. I was considering bringing it into work (at a major university) where we have insane bandwidth, but I guess I was too lazy lol

[LinuxRandal]

You said tax records and such, is your data encrypted? How strong?

No system files? Is a ghost image of a working system (typical backup) considered a system file, or a backup?


Then again, even this isn't foolproof. What happens if their system or internet connection fails when you need it. Don't laugh, when my father (retired IBM'er), went to work for APS (bought out by LaCie, used to be owned by some friends), they got a call about data recovery, from a place whose drive had crashed, the backup tape was determined to be no good (was erasing due to static after verifing, during rewinding), and their offsite backup, had been destroyed by a hurricane.

[jussi]

I don't currently use online storage but as I understand it, it's encrypted first before it's uploaded. For added piece of mind you can encrypt the files yourself and then have them encrypt and then upload.

I think the main advantage an online storage solution is that, god forbid, a fire, flood, etc happens, you still have your files. Now by then you will probably have more things to worry about, but you'll still have your files safe

[Alex Franke]

radhak -- not trying to steal your thread here, but I did a lot of research so I happen to have some details on these questions...

...is your data encrypted? How strong?

Carbonite uses 1024-bit blowfish block cipher on top of 3DES on the local machine before the bits hit the wire. They're transferred over SSL. You can generate your own cryptographic key (most secure) or use a normal password/phrase and let them manage the key for you (less secure).

Mozy uses 448-bit blowfish block cipher also before the bits hit the wire. I don't know about key management for Mozy.

No system files? Is a ghost image of a working system (typical backup) considered a system file, or a backup?

I imagine when it comes down to it, they don't really care so much about what's getting stored because they don't really know what they're storing -- they probably just suggest that you don't store images because it would take so long to upload. I think most people would opt to re-install the OS from media and just back up their data files and profile.

Then again, even this isn't foolproof. What happens if their system or internet connection fails when you need it. Don't laugh...

No laughing here For me it became a matter of probability. The connection failure issue isn't really a big deal -- nothing critical here. I can wait an hour or two and try again. And the chances that I have a catastrophic loss here (e.g. house fire) at the same time that there's a catastrophic loss at a state of the art data center is pretty darn slim. It's redundancy, so if only one location goes down at a time, you're still okay.

For a dime a day I don't have to do a darn thing and I know my files are securely and currently backed up off site. For me it's worth it. For others it might not be. But you're right -- it's not foolproof. I don't think anything really is.

[radhak]

Alex has covered it all pretty well. I am guessing the reason they don't recommend system backup is that it'd be practically useless in purpose - you really can't 'restore your system' from the backup, and they don't want their customers getting that wrong idea.

I find it interesting because I remember exhorbitant rates for online backup just a few years ago. Now this is both cheap, and very smooth.