Anyone use an online backup service?

[Rod]

I'm thinking about signing up with mozy.com - they're an online backup service for personal PC's. Does anyone use Mozy, or a similar service? I'm interested in hearing your feedback - good or bad.

Thanks,
Rod

 

[grateful1]

It's good..if they don't go out of business.
I'd use something like that as a third backup.

Get and external drive and back up to that.

Be aware of whether the online service does incrementals or fulls.

If it's just for files...then it may not be bad.

Get the external drive for a 'bare metal' image of your pc/mac. and set up a full/incremental plan.

 

[Ugaman72]

Rod, I use Mozy and find it to work very seamlessly. You never even know it's working unless it's backing up while you're watching a video or something. Plus, the price is just right...free!!

Yes..I agree..it's not a "primary" backup type thing. I use it as my 3rd backup behind a network drive and USB drive. You never know that the company will stay in business.

edited to include more info.

 

[Gawl]

I don't personally use one as I do nothing but surf the internet and game on my machine. I have however set my mom and grandmother up with carbonite, and it was the best decision ever. They are always prone to getting spyware or a virus as they always do what I tell them not too. When that happens I just rebuild the machine, reinstall carbonite and within a few hours all their data is back. My mom has lost a ton of her pictures before and I was able to get them all back with carbonite. For $50 a year, you can't go wrong.

 

[Turk10mm]

i'm not completely certain i'm ok with the data on my pc being warehoused anywhere I don't have access to, or with a known track record. I've thought about buying a tape backup and sending it off to Iron Mountain once a month. The initial investment is pretty steep, but in the long run, it could save my ass. now that you mention it, I'm going to hook up my raid server and off stuff to it.

i get the heebeejeebees just thinking about a crash.

 

[Rod]

I started installing one of the services, and didn't like the idea of all of my local data being encrypted with their software. I've seen some nasty stuff happen to encrypted data, especially when the key becomes corrupt. I've decided against doing this, going to buy a new local backup drive.

 

[Turk10mm]

check out a "snap server" they have just about any budget in mind. Mine is a 4 drive raid that connects to the network like a file server. Edited because its 4 drives, not 3.

 

[moki]

The issue with that, Turk, is that it is an on-site backup. If your house burns down, or your computer equipment is stolen, you're toast.

We do both on site and off-site backups. A reasonable way to do it, Rod, assuming your servers are co-located, is have your colo servers back up your local machine, and have your local machine back up your colo servers.

That way if catastrophe strikes either site, you have backups.

Online backup sites are a mixed bag. Yes, they work. No, they shouldn't be your sole line of defense unless your backed up data isn't critical to you. It isn't likely that the key would become corrupt... more likely is that they might have some kind of data failure themselves, or the encrypted data becomes corrupt.

 

[jlada]

Depending on your budget, how long you intend to store the data, and the amount of data you're wishing to back up, SSD storage may be something you should look in to. I have a 32 gig'er and love it. Sure beats an external HD/DVD storage/etc. I store my important porn data on it, encrypt it, and keep it at work.

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.as...lid-State-Disks


Edit: Agree with Moki.

Online backup sites are a mixed bag. Yes, they work. No, they shouldn't be your sole line of defense...