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Online Backup: The Pros And Cons

By: Dan Miller Any task that is perceived to be boring or ordinary causes one to avoid doing it - and this applies to backing up the content of hard drives. The problem stems from putting this off until an emergency occurs, when the damage is done. In the past, the process of backing up data included software that was installed and ran on the computer to be backed up as well as an external storage device (tape drives, CDs, additional external hard drive, etc.)

If you are looking for a data backup solution, you should know that the recent explosion in broadband internet coverage, plus less expensive hard drive space has made online data backup an excellent option. There are now many online data backup and disaster recover services available. One advantage of using an online backup service is that you don't have to purchase additional physical storage. Instead, you subscribe to the service just as you probably do for your internet connection.

Performing a typical backup program can be quite a strain on one's computer compared to using the software client's footprint. However, the speed of the latter method is limited to bandwidth and a large backup can become very time intensive. Traditional methods using external physical media are faster, but can be halted if the Internet connection is lost.

A large number of services allow users to try them for free, with monthly fees for subscribers beginning at around five dollars, to an unspecified limit of hundreds of dollars each annum for enterprise subscribers. Currently, one gigabyte is where available storage capacity begins at, right through to space without limits. Users are able to buy more space for storage as they need it. This differs from external media.

Some services are tailored to the Windows operating system while others are more toward the Macintosh operating system. One can then expect the entire data restoration process to be much easier from certain services than others. Also, many online backup services have options for additional functionality such as photo sharing through online slide shows, file sharing, data encryption during uploading and downloading as well as the data storage itself.

Internal hard drives have a natural failure rate. There are various ways in which a hard drive can be endangered, or the stored data can be stolen along with the computer. Therefore, regardless of what service someone opts for, having an operational and regular data backup procedure in place is essential in case such an emergency occurs.