Feb 15 2012

Online Backup Services – Factors in Cost Computation

Category: Online Backup — @ 1:06 am

“Online backup services” is one of the important parts of data recovery. Seeking the help of software companies is essential in this process. The success of the service depends largely upon the reputation of the service provider. Entrusting your needs to professionals is thereby necessary.

Alongside your search for remote backup providers, costing is always considered. As end users, you have to track where your investment will go. It is therefore important to know the factors in cost computation for backup services.

Costs behind online backup services
The more extensive the services, the more costly they will be. The same rule applies to online backup. In this regard, you have to check on the following things that comprise the cost computation:

· Amount of data to be backed up. Industries and individuals making use of online backup services have different needs.

Perhaps, it is safe to assume that individuals have lesser requirements than those of larger industries. The total amount of data backed-up will then be an essential component of cost considerations.

· Machines covered by the service. In several industries, there is usually more than one machine that needs the backup service. The service provider closely looks into this aspect before coming up with the summary of the cost to be charged from the company.

· Number of versions to be backed-up. There are companies requiring more than one version of the file for backup. This is because the copies are relevant for the use of multiple recipients. Whenever there is a need to get online backup services, this factor is necessary for the cost computation.

· Data retention and archiving.

Companies may require data retention for several years. In some industries, archiving is needed for at least five to ten years. With the help of online backup, it is easier for the company to retrieve information from a previous year or so. Depending on the term of the backup service, the cost is likewise computed.

In order to save on cost, you may also request for other options when it comes to online backup services. Updating your current system may only be necessary when changes are to be made. This will reduce your stored data thereby reducing the costs you need to pay.

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Feb 13 2012

Secure Your Data: Online Backup Solutions

Category: Online Backup — @ 5:06 am

Over the years, people have come up with new inventions of storage devices, starting from the archaic floppy disks and tapes to the still prevalent CDs and DVDs. Lately with reducing costs of hard drives, external HDDs or Hard Disk Drives have become very popular for large sized backups in homes and offices. However, the backup procedure that surpasses all the aforementioned devices in convenience, efficiency, security and reliability is the online backup of data. Now, what exactly is online backup? Just as the name suggests, it is copying of your important data over a network connection from your system to a remote off-site server or a hard drive monitored by a host company.

You basically need to sign up with an online backup service provider that will supply you with software connecting your system with the online storage space. You can specify your preferences regarding which folders you want to be taken a backup of, at which time of the day, week or month should the automatic backup take place, etc. You can either schedule automatic backup or simply proceed with manuals ones. The time taken for the completion of the backup depends on the speed of the internet connection, the amount of files being copied and whether it is the first time you are taking the backup or not. Usually the first attempt is the lengthiest one, while the ones that follow require minor changes and additions to the already stored data and hence are less time-consuming. You can take regular backups of practically any sort of file, be it a presentation, a database, a spreadsheet, a text, a picture, an audio, a movie, your emails, or even a computer program.

You might argue that despite having so many other storage options, why should you go for online backup. As said before, this is a more convenient, efficient, secured and reliable option. You get to start the backup anytime you want with an internet connection without the need of any hardware, access a huge amount of space at a very low price, transfer your files in an encrypted form, keep your files safe with a secret username and password and get to restore your lost data to any computer you want. The above features are not available in the conventional storage devices. Moreover, if you still choose a CD, DVD or an external HDD for backup and keep it locked in your house, you might think your data is very safe but, god forbid, if your house is struck by a calamity, dont you think along with your computer, you will lose your disks too? Can you now call it safe? This was just a domestic example.

Consider a huge business concern that deals with zillions of important data each day. It just cannot afford to take a risk. So for them, online backup is the only solution to disaster recovery.

The advent of anything new and different is always accompanied by an array of myths. Some of the famous MYTHS regarding online backup are:

Data is not secured on the net

It cant handle large company data

It is expensive

You must know that all these myths are not true and the fact is so much the opposite.

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Feb 12 2012

Why Use an Online Backup Service

Category: Online Backup — @ 7:06 am

The story is always the same: you know you should back up your computer, but you put it off because it’s a hassle. Where are those discs? Which ones have I used before? What software do I use to do the back up? Where did I even put the disc from my last backup?

It’s estimated that one in every ten hard drives fail each year. Most people know that viruses can wipe out your hard drive, but there’s also the possibility of theft or damage. If you do have current backups of your data – where is that disc? It’s often stored in the same location as your computer, so if a natural disaster were to strike, you are out of luck. If you try to retrieve data from your hard drive it can come with a hefty price – thousands of dollars, and sometimes that data is gone forever. Gone are all your documents, pictures, and music.

Online backup services make backing up your computer simple and effortless.

These services are highly recommended by the same professionals that you would pay thousands of dollars to retrieve lost data. With online backup services a copy of your data is stored in a secure, remote location. This means in the event of a disaster, say your house burns down, your data is still safe and secure.

With online backup services, your files, music, and pictures will be automatically backed up at intervals that you choose. Some services even automatically back up any new files that are created or added to your computer. You never have to think about backing up your computer again. No equipment, software, or storage devices are needed. Plus, you can access or add more files to your account from any computer. If you are on vacation and want to backup pictures to free up space on your camera’s memory card – you can do that from any computer!

There are several companies offering online backup services.

One of the most widely known services is Mozy – which offers 2GB of storage free. Other companies offer very affordable rates (typically about a month) for online storage. Some companies just have a flat fee for unlimited storage.

All online backup companies will securely store your data in a secure location, but there are differences among the companies. Good services won’t noticeably slow down your PC – at least after the initial upload. You can also look for companies that encrypt your data before, during, and after it’s been sent to industrial strength servers.

One of the key things is the ease of use in the set up, selection of what files and folders you want backed up, and most importantly – getting your files back if you lose them. Most companies offer a free trial period. Use that time to evaluate the ease of the online backup service and go through the process of retrieving data to see what it’s like.

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Feb 10 2012

3 Main Reasons to Consider Online Backup

Category: Online Backup — @ 10:06 pm

Mozy, one of the most popular online backup services, states on their website that a computer is stolen every 3 seconds.

I know first-hand – my business partner had his stolen 2 years ago and he is still struggling to put his work and home files back together.

Unfortunately, that is just impossible because he had no backup of anything.

At the time, I didn’t have backup at the time, either, so who was I to say…but after some study of the options, I came to the conclusion that online is the only way to go.

Here is why you should backup your data online:

1. Online Backup is Automatic

Experts say, the biggest reason individuals and businesses don’t backup is it requires a change in routine to remember to do it.

In other words, you have to build a new habit…which, if you have ever had to quit anything, you know is not something to take on lightly.

By signing up with an online backup service, you are taking a daily hassle and making it automatic – which means, it will actually get done!

2. You Can Trust Online Backup

At first, it sounded crazy to me to send my valuable data to a company I didn’t know and would likely never see.

As I investigated though, I found that the major players in online backup – Mozy, Carbonite, SugarSync – all have been around for years and won dozens of business awards.

They encrypt your data before it leaves your computer or smartphone and then encrypt it again in a different way when it arrives to be stored on their servers.

Now, I have been personally backing up online now for some time now and feel very comfortable with the system and the process.

3. Your Data Stored Remotely

It does no good to backup your data and then store the backup copy in the same place as your computer.

If something happens – like a flood or fire – your copy will likely get destroyed along with your computer.

By using online backup storage, your files are duplicated and kept at a remote location far away from your computer.

That is best practice for data backup storage and the safest way to protect your files, pictures, and emails.

In conclusion, making the decision to finally backup your data is a relief and real ego boost! You will feel a lot more in control and you will feel more relaxed.

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Feb 04 2012

Online Backups To Preserve Your Valuable Data

Category: Online Backup — @ 1:07 am

One of the essential components of any business enterprise is the large volume of customer data that require frequent online backups as part of data security measures. It is important that the backup systems used for the purpose are feature oriented and stable so that there is no loss of work even in the event of a system crash. You might have lots of backup options present but the key to proper maintenance is to select the right tool that would meet all your needs. Before you start using any specific service for your backup purposes, there are a few considerations that you should have within your mind.

Your first requirement should be a tool that allows you to take backups of multiple documents and resources. You can try some of the vendors that resell online backups or install a new service that would take backups of everything from documents and SQL databases to email oriented content and system files.

You can never be too safe when you are dealing with corporate data because a snag at one end could end up ruining the entire project. The reason more and more clients are choosing the web over traditional backup procedures is the reliability, accessibility and secure nature of the service.

An important consideration for the web based backup service should be data security to protect the integrity of the data. You should not choose a service that can replicate your sensitive data into multiple copies without any form of protection. Some of the best backup service providers would enable non reversible encryption on your data before performing the replication on their data centers. This would prevent any external source from tampering with your data without the proper authorization protocols. Such online backups might have premium pricing over others but the extra level of security is well worth the slightly higher costs when it comes to specific corporate projects.

Even though backups are usually taken by the technical or the IT department of an organization, user oriented backups have also become common during the progression of daily work. When you choose service providers dealing with resell online backups, you should see to it that the entire procedure does not become too complicated for non-technical users. The entire system should have an user interface that is easy to understand and operate while setting up a simple installation without any hassles. If your users are able to utilize the backup without searching for features, you could have a much stable backup system implemented across the enterprise.

The best way to deal with such a scenario would be to make a shortlist of all the web based backup services that can cater to all your needs. you should also look at client testimonials or try out their trial versions to check out the performance on your own. Some of the best services have a strong support team that would help you out with any queries regarding the service as well as its application. The final thing to consider would be the pricing. As long as you get a service that is high on features and performance, any price that is balanced should turn out to be a good deal.  Once your desired online backups are put into place, your work would be free from any signs of threat or damage.

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