Do you use an online backup service (CrashPlan, Carbonite, etc.)


Online Backup Services  

47 members have voted

  1. 1. Do you use an online backup service?

    • Yep. It's wise to have an offsite backup plan.
      18
    • Nope. I like to live dangerously (Or I have an alternative backup plan)
      24
    • Nope. If I lose anything I will just contact the NSA & request my backup :D
      5


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My SSD's are mostly occupied by system/program files and various forms of impersonal media (that can be re-downloaded.)

 

I back up the remaining select GB's of personal files on an external. IMO, the most efficient and cost effective strategy.

 

Online services are for individuals with very large personal catalogs and companies.

  • Like 2

Yes, but in conjunction with a physical backup as well.  Sh't happens, backup media can die, third party servers can die (or just disappear), not rolling the dice with important stuff that I can't afford to lose.

I utilize SkyDrive (onedrive), google drive, and drop box.  I then get free (included) unlimited online backup through my ISP (Cox Communications) and backup all of those folders.

As others have pointed out, I use a combination of on site backup (Crash Plan App + Synology Disk Station + various external drives over the years, and good old Data DVD's still believe it or not, can never be to safe) with mostly free online services.

 

I use Google a lot now for my photos, etc. since I am on Android and it works seamless, Apple for my iPad old iPhone photos, Google Music for my Music (is a monthly fee there, but also have all music backed up). I also made the switch to completely cloud based email a couple of years back, so no longer using Outlook or Mail for any local email on any of my computers. Has gone okay for the past few years.

 

When I was looking online services up, BackBlaze kept seeming like a good option. There is also always Carbonite which has been around for a long time now in this space, so they must be doing something right.

My SSD's are mostly occupied by system/program files and various forms of impersonal media (that can be re-downloaded.)

 

I back up the remaining select GB's of personal files on an external. IMO, the most efficient and cost effective strategy.

 

Online services are for individuals with very large personal catalogs and companies.

 

 

If you had a fire, flood, break-in etc. all of that data could be gone. I suppose it depends on how important that data is. Music could be re-downloaded but photos or work might never be retrievable.

 

 

3-2-1 of backup:

 

3 copies of the data

in 2 different formats

1 off-site

 

 

idk how many people do this, but it is the common standard. 

  • Like 1

I use Carbonite for about 29 gigs of data, not counting  ISO and Video / audio files

 

I also have 2 3TB drives which backs up all of my internal drives. 1 drive stays at home the other drive lives in a safety deposit box at the bank and both drives get rotated monthly!

I don't back up a dang thing! Nothing important kept on my computers. The ONLY way I'm losing anything is if the computer completely dies, which I don't forsee happening and even if it does, I didn't lose a thing!

 

Not worried about my Windows or Linux boxes getting messed up as that just doesn't happen anymore unless you're some moron who always fiddles with stuff or don't know how to protect your Windows/Linux system!

 

Anyone that doesn't have a hard copy of what they want to save is just asking for trouble, IMO.

 

Who knows how long what ever site you have something backed up on will be around or hacked and any external device can die at any given moment.

 

Anything that is really THAT important is in a fire proof safe!

Google Drive 50 GB plan - medium resolution photos and videos for viewing and sharing

Amazon Glacier - Archiving original photos, videos and iTunes purchases

  • 2 weeks later...

3-2-1 of backup:

 

3 copies of the data

in 2 different formats

1 off-site

I'm fine with the 3 copies of data and even the 1 off-site.

 

But what are the other formats?  Blu-Ray?  DVD?  Tape?

 

I shudder at the thought of burning 60 Blu-Ray discs to backup a single 3TB hard drive. And then cataloging it all.  And having to retrieve that data off of 60 Blu-Ray discs if anything did go wrong.

 

I'd rather have 3 hard drives with one of them off site.  What are the chances of all 3 failing at the same time?  Isn't having 3 copies good enough by itself?

 

I guess I'm not seeing the point of using different media... especially if it's a pain in the ass to create and/or access.

I'm fine with the 3 copies of data and even the 1 off-site.

 

But what are the other formats?  Blu-Ray?  DVD?  Tape?

 

I shudder at the thought of burning 60 Blu-Ray discs to backup a single 3TB hard drive. And then cataloging it all.  And having to retrieve that data off of 60 Blu-Ray discs if anything did go wrong.

 

I'd rather have 3 hard drives with one of them off site.  What are the chances of all 3 failing at the same time?  Isn't having 3 copies good enough by itself?

 

I guess I'm not seeing the point of using different media... especially if it's a pain in the ass to create and/or access.

 

 

For a complete back-up I would entirely agree with you. However, if you have family photos or documents then you could probably get away with 1 or 2 discs.

I juggle cloud storage providers currently for my stuff: OneDrive (68.5GB atm) & BitLocker for important stuff, Box for non-important stuff (50GB free with my phone) & Ubuntu One (5GB) for anything Linux/Raspberry Pi related.

I've tried the BT 50GB backup service for Infinity customers and found it to be quite a mess, even for just backing up family photos.

  • 4 months later...

I know this is a few months old, but i didn't wanna create a new topic.

 

I've been debating online back up for years, and finally decided on doing it. What really stopped me were the prices, the time it would take for me to back up my 250GB photo collection.

 

 

Ever exploring many options for online backup, i decided to settle with CrashPlan.

 

Reason why I like Crashplan are the low Monthly payments. $5.99 for unlimited space? heck yea! (even cheaper if you subscribe for yearly, 3 year, etc).
 

Also it lets you select the folders you want to back up. Other similar services such as BlackBlaze (even cheaper per month), back up nearly everything on your hard drive. Great if you want something simple, and want everything backed up.

 

I'm glad i finally decided on doing this. I'd feel like such a fool if i lost my personal photo collection after i've been debating this for so long. All the memories.

currently i have 3 copies of each picture. I have the original on my local drive, a copy on my external, and then a static copy on data DVDs. But if my house caught on fire, or something crazy happened, i'd probably lose all 3 copies.

Online is best.

 

Been uploading for a few days now. 40gb out of 250gb done! WOOT. lol Only a year left in uploading.

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