Online Data Storage: Backup Made Easy

No matter how careful you may be, accidents can happen and data can be lost. To many, backing up online is an easy solution.

The importance of backing up your computer files cannot be stressed enough. No matter how careful you may be, accidents can happen and data can be lost.

No form of digital storage is perfect, and most hard drives fail after several years. Laptops and desktops are subject to breakage and decay and files can accidentally get deleted. To many, backing up online is an easy solution.

Online data storage services are secure for a number of reasons: backing up to a different physical location creates an additional layer of protection.

Also, these companies usually keep multiple copies of your files in different data centers, so if one copy were to become inaccessible they can easily retrieve data from another location. Online storage services are offered from Dropbox, Crash Plan and Carbonite.

Dropbox

Dropbox can be rather expensive when used to back up a whole computer. What Dropbox excels at however, is making file synchronization simple. Dropbox is easy to install and offers 2 GB of free online storage. While this is large enough to back up some important documents, it is not large enough to back up media libraries. You can install and create a Dropbox folder on any computer. Any files stored in that folder are instantly synced with online servers as well as your computers or mobile devices. You can purchase additional storage for a monthly fee.

Crash Plan

Crash Plan is one of the most popular and well reviewed computer back up services available online. The plans are quite affordable and they offer 2 GB of online storage for free. Crash plan also offers a number of features, almost to a fault, to customize back up services. Software allows you to save copies of the back up locally as well as online.

Carbonite

Carbonite is another popular online backup service. Carbonite is priced yearly at competitive rates, and they offer personal and business accounts (as do all of these services). Carbonite’s software runs in the background, and is easy to use and set up.

Numerous alternatives exist, including Xennix’s Secure Online Back Up service. You may wish to compare these sites and evaluate them based on your individual needs for online back up. Until then take care of your computer to ensure none of your precious data is lost.