I'm looking for an online backup software-service for automatically backing up: my Windows PC files, and everything stored on my Tyros2 HD, iPod Touch, and other PC-USB perheriphals.

I'm thinking that the added security of online backup is that everything's stored on a remote server 'away from' your home in case of fire, flood, earthquake.

One such backup service which advertised on TV and on Radio in my area is: Carbonite , and costs $54.95 a year for unlimited data backup.

It's received a very favorable rating from CNET .


One drawback I suspect though, even if you've got high speed internet (like I do) is long upload/download times if you've got alot of data to backup like I have: 750 Gigabytes! I suppose backing up at night while you're asleep would be a solution for that. Another concern though is the security of storing sensitive files on an online remote server.

That said, does anyone here use or have experience with Carbonite (or a similar online backup service)? Advice, recommendations and experiences much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Scott

Scott ..pick up a 2 terabyte external drive...save your data..and then get a safety deposit box at your bank...vaults are fire proof and anti theft ...

Hello Scottyee,

I'm with Fran on this one.

Scott,

I highly recommend Carbonite. As you know part of my day job has me responsible for the well being of 50 computers and the network that goes along with it. For 2 users who are working with very sensitive financial data I use Carbonite to back their files. It works seamlessly, everytime they add or change a file it's done on Carbonite in the background.

Yes backing 750 gigs to Carbonite will take days. In the case of the firm I work for the files are realtively small, mostly spreadsheets and Word documents. I had been using Carbonite at home for a couple of years because it was provided as a free service from Cox Cable my former ISP. I've since moved to Verizon using their Fios service................which leads me to backing up on my data on 3 separate external drives. I keep one at home, one at my office in a fireproof file cabinet and one in my briefcase.

Fran's suggestion is a good one, but imho you have nothing to worry about with Carbonite being insecure. The downside long time to upload files, then if you have to restore the files it will also be a time consuming process i.e. if you had to restore all at once.

And just playing the devil's advocate, your files are constantly changing. Do you want to make a visit to a safety deposit box at your bank to update files? Something to think about.

One other thing about Carbonite, it's a no brainer for my users and more so for me. I never have to worry about them having remember to back up sensitive files that change. If they were to lose any of that financial data, it could cripple the firm and possibly put it on the brink of going out of business. Of course other systems in the firm are backed up to tapes and stored in secure locations as well. Redundancy all the way.



[This message has been edited by Stephenm52 (edited 01-11-2010).]

Hi Fran. I currently have my files backed up to an terabyte drive which I store at the 'other end' of the house. My problem is difficulty in keeping the backup files updated regularly enough, plus concern that in the event of a major disaster, I might lose all data BOTH on my PC as well as the backup drive. As Stephen concurs, traveling back & forth to the bank and getting into my safebox 'every time' the backup files change would prove excessively time consuming.

Stephen, thanks for your assurance that data files stored on Carbonite's are secure. I like your suggestion of backing up to multiple drives and keeping them in totally different locations.

That said, and unless someone else comes forward with something negative about Carbonite or online backup in general, I I'll signup with Carbonite to automatically backup and update only those documents & files that more frequently require updating, which will significantly reduce the size of the online backup. I assume Carbonite allows you to assign only specific files/folders on your PC for backup, right? $54.95/year seems a small price to pay for the assurance of online auto file update backup and security.

Scott

Hi Scott and fellow posting-zoners:

I'm so completely disenchanted with the internet, the media, the government and all the institutions we once believed were sacrosanct... I would not trust my personal data to anyone or anything other than a book-drive kept in a safe place and completely under my control.

Naturally, a strict regimen of performing back-ups is a critical element.

In today's world... trust only your mother... and keep a jaundiced-eye focused in her direction... LOL. Fran has provided good advice.

Dave Rice

Scott you are correct you can assign specific folders to be backed up, you do not have to back up the entire PC. BTW, have you been listening to Leo Laporte? He also endorses "Carbonite."

Plus, Scott, once backed up, the regular backups do not take long.

Hi Scott
Keep the bulk on a HDD in a safety deposit box, then use Online Backup for your most used and changed files, that way you will only need to update the HDD once a month or so.
The above will also allow you to restore everything in the shortest amount of time, should the worst happen.
Hope this helps

Bill