Online backups - best current provider?

[stualk]

Hi All,

I've been reading some previous posts about online backups. What's the general consensus at the moment as to the best provider? Taking snapshots home on CD is ok but I'd much prefer to have a method of uploading them to somewhere more secure. Is there a stand-out provider or is it each to their own?

[Benjamin Dyer]

Hi Stuart,

I use Dropbox (www.getdropbox.com), its saved me on several times. While its not technically an online back up it is cloud storage. I have it mirroring a local directory which I use for my snapshots, I also have a machine at home doing the same so at any one time I have three copies of a snapshot.

It does a great job at syncing all of this data and to be honest for the price (i.e free upto 2Gb) its the best I have found.

If you are tempted to sign up drop me a line, a referral earns you 500Mb additional space.

>BTW moving this into AOB to keep the v9 thread relevant.

[guccij]

I use both Carbonite and Zen Vault Express, which is a resold Attix5 product.

Carbonite is best on price, Zen restores fastest and most accurately (or so I've found). Carbonite doesn't appear to have a storage limit - I have about 30GB up there - while my Zen limit on the price I'm paying is 20gb.

If you don't want to commit to monthly or annual fees, then offline storage to one or two NAS coupled with software such as Memeo (Pro version) will do the trick. Memeo has its faults but I haven't found anything more user friendly.

I've been through a few NAS products, currently using a 500gb and a 1TB Buffalo LinkStation.

[Fairyglass]

I've been checking out a few today and yesterday as my subscription with my current one is due. Some observations:

I've been using Bullguard which started life fine, but over the last few months I've had increasing problems logging into (and backing up to) my online account. Support were not especially helpful, although they did try. It also caused file sharing voilations with Actinic V9, but strangely seemed fine with V8.

I tested Carbonite a few days ago but on my machine it causes huge file sharing violation problems with Actinic, which meant I was effectively unable to upload my sites. Uninstalling it solved the problem.

I'm currenly trialling SOS Online Backup which seems efficient, runs in the background, backs up open files and e-mails you a report when a backup is complete so you know if there's a problem. Prices seem reasonable too. I used them a while back and had problems with backups not working, so time will tell if this problem still exists.

Getdropbox sounds interesting though....

Hope this helps.

[stualk]

Thanks for all the advice on this. I've gone for Getdropbox first (might as well give it a go while it's free) and so far, so good! It seems really quick and easy to use. My site snapshots are pretty big but it uploaded it in no time at all.

Thanks again for this, much appreciated.

[Mark H]

"Carbonite is best on price, Zen restores fastest and most accurately (or so I've found)."

Jules - have you had any specific problems restoring from Carbonite? I'm looking to back up about 150Gb, which I know is at the top end of what is practical

[grantglendinnin]

I'm looking to back up about 150Gb, which I know is at the top end of what is practical

On UK broadband upload speeds, your backup will be a month out of date by time the 150gb has uploaded

[Mark H]

Yes, I expect the initial upload will "take a while". Presumably it only uploads changed/new files after that?

[grantglendinnin]

Yes, I expect the initial upload will "take a while". Presumably it only uploads changed/new files after that?

Here's hoping

Why not use a couple of External disks and take one home and leave the other in a fireproof safe? Much less hassle IMO

[Mark H]

Yes we do that already (and more, call me paranoid). It's just the thought of being able to access up to date files from any PC with Internet access from anywhere in the world that is appealing and it seems quite good value.

[guccij]

have you had any specific problems restoring from Carbonite? I'm looking to back up about 150Gb

I haven't had any problems restoring from Carbonite at all - I have reinstalled music and image files fine. I just choose to use Zen to do Snorestore stuff as there's a month of different backups and you can pick and choose which file from which day you want.
But 150gb is a heck of a lot to upload in one go!

[grantglendinnin]

Additional thought: Check with your ISP to confirm you are allowed to upload 150gb of data in one go and still comply with the "Fair Usage Policy"

[Mark H]

Good point. I'd better not use the 3G dongle

[chris ashdown]

If you use Acronis backup software for Workstations, you can backup to usb disks and recover the whole disk setup onto a new computer with different drivers and other bits if say your computer is unrepairable for any reason, this allows you to buy a new computer and be running in say a couple of hours with all software running (no reinstalling software), you can also I believe backup to your ownsite server though I have not tried this

Therefore you have complete control of everything yourself

[Mark H]

Additional thought: Check with your ISP to confirm you are allowed to upload 150gb of data in one go and still comply with the "Fair Usage Policy"

Have checked with BT (Business Broadband) - this is not a problem, partly because "uploading is slower than downloading", so is unlikely to affect other users.