Friday, November 9, 2012

Which Online Backup Service? - 10 Tips to Help You Decide

Top 10 Online Backup, More and more online backup services are popping up every day, and some big name players have exited the market. This makes it harder to decide which online backup service is right for you or your business. We\'ve compiled a top 10 list for you to consider before making that decision:

How Much Storage Space Do I Really Need? You will want to determine your storage needs carefully. Some services provide unlimited storage, while the providers that don\'t offer unlimited storage will either put a hard cap on the amount Top 10 Online Backup of storage space you get, or they may charge you a fee for going over your allotted limit. Something to consider is that many people will utilize online backup as a secondary backup strategy for their most important data. This strategy gives ultimate confidence that your important data is safe, while keeping backup times lower, and storage needs affordable.
I Want an Online Backup Solution that is Simple and Very User Friendly? If a simple \"set it up and forget it\" solution is key in determining which online backup service is right for you, Top 10 Online Backup then look for a backup service that works quietly and efficiently in the background automatically backing up your changes. Data backup should not interfere with your daily business routines, but rather protect you without you even having o think about it.
Do I have to download special software? A good web interface should be a crucial factor Top 10 Online Backup in deciding which online backup service is a fit for anyone. A good online backup service will enable users not only to access their backup data online, but also be able to backup files to, and restore files directly from the Internet from anywhere in the world with Internet access.
What if I Accidentally Delete a file, or a file gets Corrupted? While some providers just keep the latest copy of a backup, there are those that allow you to save and retrieve multiple copies of your data files along with a version history. This can be extremely useful in circumstances where someone may have deleted information accidentally, or data is corrupted or irreparably infected by a virus. Being able to retrieve an earlier version, can be a life saver.
How Secure is My Data? When deciding which online backup service is a fit for you, a careful review of their security features should be at the top of the list. Make sure your provider is able to offer detailed information about how data is transferred to and from the backup site, and how security is guaranteed at the backup location itself. These features should include strong file encryption and access-control standards, both when the information is in transit and while being stored. Do they have redundant backup sites, in case one of their sites is affected by a disaster?
Does the Provider Offer Flexible Scheduling? A good and reputable online backup service provider should offer a variety of backup scheduling options such as monthly, weekly, daily, hourly or even instantly. This way you can choose what\'s right for you or your business. When deciding which online backup service to go with, you should also look for providers who offer the choice of full control or as hands-off automated backups as well.
How Scalable is the Service? For businesses that plan on expanding or opening additional locations or branches, you should look for a provider that offers unlimited computers to be backed up under one account.
How Stable is the Company? With so many of these companies deciding not to continue offering their services, it\'s extremely important to look into the over-all stability, long term viability and vision that these companies have for themselves. Examples of three well known companies that have recently discontinued their online backup and storage offerings are Hp\'s Upline, AOL\'s Xdrive, and Yahoo\'s Briefcase. So, when deciding which online backup service is right for you, it\'s not enough to go with a \"big name\", but rather you must find out what vision the company has for its product. Are they looking to fill a particular \"niche\" or somehow set themselves apart form all the rest of the crowd?


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