Online backup

[Clive Long]

Anything I need to consider - apart from security of data and cost - in using an online hosting service to backup data?

For example Bravenet (just one I stumbled across) offers 5GB data storage at 7USD per month.

I'm not interested in Web hosting so those features are irrelevant to me

I'm just looking at the alternatives to CD-Rom and external hard disk backup for my friend. She is paranoid those media are vulnerable to theft or fire. I suggested she backs up to CD each week and mails the backups to her Mum. :)

Clive

[WittyBird]

Anything I need to consider - apart from security of data and cost - in using an online hosting service to backup data?

For example Bravenet (just one I stumbled across) offers 5GB data storage at 7USD per month.

I'm not interested in Web hosting so those features are irrelevant to me

I'm just looking at the alternatives to CD-Rom and external hard disk backup for my friend. She is paranoid those media are vulnerable to theft or fire. I suggested she backs up to CD each week and mails the backups to her Mum. :)

Clive

just buy some memory sticks and password protect them :waycool:

[ducasi]

A few things to consider:– How long it takes, whether it is incremental, whether you can recover older version of files and generally, how easy it is to recover your files (either singly, or all of them at once.)

I think there's a lot to be said for sending a CD or DVD in the mail, or taking it to your work, or similar.

After all, how much does a DVD burner and a hundred blank DVDs cost? There's lots of good, cheap back-up solutions that will help automate the process.

[Dreadful Scathe]

Backup to something physical is the best idea - doing it twice and having a local and an off-site copy allows for theft or fire.

If doing backups on DVD I can suggest DVD-RAM as a solution - the discs have about 10 times the life expectancy. DVD-R is fine though as long as you check them every year or 2 just to be sure.

[philsmove]

The most important thing about any back up system is to practice restoring it

Practice this at least once a mouth