p.1 #1 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
Does anyone have any experience using Internet-based (online) backup, recovery, and access of your computer files?
What kind of vendors (e.g. Carbonite) are out there, how do they rate, what are typical storage limitations (if any), what kind of remote access do they allow, and how much do they typically cost? Is there an affordable best-of-breed vendor out there you can recommend?
I'm looking into alternatives to local external hard-drive storage. Thanks!
p.1 #3 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
Having cloud backup is absolutely critical. If you lose everything locally (and it does happen) you have all of your files stored with mega-redundancy in the cloud. It's a dirt cheap way to add insurance against losing everything.
I don't use their services for storing RAWs, but I have started using them to dump JPEGs off my cameras (both SLRs and iPhone) and have found it nice to have access to my photos anytime, anywhere.
It's a nice addition to using multi-terabyte hard drives to store the RAWs.
Another nice thing you can do, Smugmug has an affiliate program whereby you give people your custom discount code so that when they use your code, they save some money when signing up with Smugmug and you either get cash or discounts/free renewals of Smugmug's services. I'm a paying subscriber to Smugmug's Pro services and enough people have used my coupon code to where I haven't paid for Smugmug's services in a few years now. and yet I continue to benefit from their online backup services without paying a dime. You could do the same thing if you like. (My code is hDBXAc8lccGdQ.)
Oct 09, 2011 at 11:58 PM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
Most of the on-line backup places (like Carbonite) are just way too slow to work. It will take you months or years just to do the backup if you have files from a few years of photography
Oct 10, 2011 at 12:32 AM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
Tom K. wrote:
Having cloud backup is absolutely critical. If you lose everything locally (and it does happen) you have all of your files stored with mega-redundancy in the cloud. It's a dirt cheap way to add insurance against losing everything.
It really depends on what you mean by "cloud backup". Just having a couple of harddrives in a friends house is at least as safe as using Carbonite, CrashPlan, Mozy or similar cloud backups
p.1 #8 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
Lars Johnsson wrote:
Most of the on-line backup places (like Carbonite) are just way too slow to work. It will take you months or years just to do the backup if you have files from a few years of photography
I have over 750,000 MBs of data on Backblaze. The initial upload takes from days to a week or more (depending on your upload speed). Once that is done then it keeps up as you add files to your disk.
When I did my initial upload I never even noticed Backblaze working in the background. I do have a very fast cable connection so my uploads are quick. This type of cloud storage was unthinkable in the dial up days.
Everything is moving to the cloud. It's inevitable.
p.1 #9 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
Lars Johnsson wrote:
It really depends on what you mean by "cloud backup". Just having a couple of harddrives in a friends house is at least as safe as using Carbonite, CrashPlan, Mozy or similar cloud backups
If the friend has a disaster where the files are stored in his home then your files are gone forever. You won't give it much thought until the files on your computer are all destroyed by fire, flood, theft, etc, etc. Then you will call your friend and he will say, "What hard drives!?!?". Things like trusting your entire library of photographs with a friend can be a bit dicey.
I have the utmost respect for you Lars and I am not trying to be argumentative. I'm just a big believer in a rock solid backup plan for my photographs.
p.1 #11 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
I use Jungle Disk for my off-site backup. As Lars points out with Carbonite, all of the free/uber-cheap services are way too slow. If I lose my drives and local backups, I need to get back up and running in a reasonable timeframe.
Jungle Disk uses Amazon's S3 service for storage. Amazon bills you directly for their fees, so when they lower their charges (at least 2 major drops since I started using them), you benefit immediately.
It isn't going to compete with the cheapo services, but it also isn't completely ridiculous like Iron Mountain or other services targeted at businesses willing to pay premium pricing.
Jay
Oct 10, 2011 at 06:36 AM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #12 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
Tom K. wrote:
If the friend has a disaster where the files are stored in his home then your files are gone forever. You won't give it much thought until the files on your computer are all destroyed by fire, flood, theft, etc, etc. Then you will call your friend and he will say, "What hard drives!?!?". Things like trusting your entire library of photographs with a friend can be a bit dicey.
I have the utmost respect for you Lars and I am not trying to be argumentative. I'm just a big believer in a rock solid backup plan for my photographs. ...Show more →
You are saying my friends home and my home could have a disaster or fire at exactly the same time. When we live far away from each other. For me it's my fathers home. I call my backup rather rock solid. I also own one Drobo and two Drobo S with fourteen 2 TB drives with my files. And 12 external drives at my fathers home. So every file is kept in four different drives. And at least two different locations.
Your backblaze backup could be corrupt or destroyed by that company as easy. I don't know what kind of friends you have. But my father or my friends that I thrust with a few harddrives don't say "what hard drives" when I like to have them back
p.1 #13 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
I use Carbonite, and I've had very good experience with it. It did take a loooonng time to do the initial backup (like a few weeks), but it stays pretty current ongoing unless you take thousands of RAW files in a short time.
I've had to recover some files when I mistakenly deleted them. The recovery went well and was relatively quick.
The cost is very low also. You really can't go wrong.
p.1 #14 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
Tom K. wrote:
Having cloud backup is absolutely critical. If you lose everything locally (and it does happen) you have all of your files stored with mega-redundancy in the cloud. It's a dirt cheap way to add insurance against losing everything.
p.1 #15 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
Lars Johnsson wrote:
You are saying my friends home and my home could have a disaster or fire at exactly the same time. When we live far away from each other. For me it's my fathers home. I call my backup rather rock solid. I also own one Drobo and two Drobo S with fourteen 2 TB drives with my files. And 12 external drives at my fathers home. So every file is kept in four different drives. And at least two different locations.
Your backblaze backup could be corrupt or destroyed by that company as easy. I don't know what kind of friends you have. But my father or my friends that I thrust with a few harddrives don't say "what hard drives" when I like to have them back ...Show more →
You're backup plan seems solid Lars. Kind of a hassle to keep bringing data over to your father or friend "who lives far away" though. I don't have to move a muscle and my files are backed up. Easy as pie.
My files at Backblaze will not be destroyed or corrupted. Backblaze has layers of redundancy and encryption that would make the CIA jealous.
The folks who experienced hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami in Japan lost all of their data. I don't care how many friends they had. Had they used Backblaze then they would not have lost a single bit of data.
Again, Backblaze has multiple layers of redundancy. You won't lose any data there.
For ease of use and a super low cost of backing up against data loss, I choose Backblaze. The Drobos are super expensive and if hit by flood or fire are useless.
p.1 #16 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
You have 750 gigs backed up there for $5 per month? Least that's what I see on their website. Unlimited backup for $5 per month. Any vendor can lose your data, no matter what they tell you. Nothing is 100% guaranteed. Now a vendor charging just $5 per month for 750 gigs may or may not lose your data, but is unlikely to stay in business charging those minimum fees for very long.
"Hassle free back up for $5/Month Unlimited
$5 per month per computer (or save $10 by purchasing a year for $50!)"
Tom K. wrote:
I have over 750,000 MBs of data on Backblaze. The initial upload takes from days to a week or more (depending on your upload speed). Once that is done then it keeps up as you add files to your disk.
When I did my initial upload I never even noticed Backblaze working in the background. I do have a very fast cable connection so my uploads are quick. This type of cloud storage was unthinkable in the dial up days.
Everything is moving to the cloud. It's inevitable.
p.1 #17 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
BuLLets wrote:
You have 750 gigs backed up there for $5 per month? Least that's what I see on their website. Unlimited backup for $5 per month. Any vendor can lose your data, no matter what they tell you. Nothing is 100% guaranteed. Now a vendor charging just $5 per month for 750 gigs may or may not lose your data, but is unlikely to stay in business charging those minimum fees for very long.
"Hassle free back up for $5/Month Unlimited
$5 per month per computer (or save $10 by purchasing a year for $50!)"
So you have just heard of Backblaze today and you're telling me they are going to go out of business? You might want to spend a bit of time looking into the company before condemning it.
I spent time researching the best cloud storage. You feel free to back up your stuff your way. I'm comfortable with my choice.
p.1 #20 · Online Backups/Recovery and Access of Computer Files
Storing 750 gigs of online data for you @ $5 per month is not in the long run going to be sustainable. That's all I said. I have no idea if they are going to go out of business, nor do I care. Just a simply fact $5 for 750 gigs of online storage is not economically sustainable for a business wanting to be profitable.
And yes, I do backup my stuff my way. And it's not via 'cloud' storage.
Tom K. wrote:
So you have just heard of Backblaze today and you're telling me they are going to go out of business? You might want to spend a bit of time looking into the company before condemning it.
I spent time researching the best cloud storage. You feel free to back up your stuff your way. I'm comfortable with my choice.
You could do the same thing if you like. (My code is hDBXAc8lccGdQ.)