Is It Safe to Backup Your Computer Online?

People that back up computers traditionally use the built-in software that the operating system comes with, and save their data on a secondary or external hard drive, CD´s, DVD´s or in some cases, tape drives.

Since storing files onto these devices have failed and backups can be lost, especially for lack of redundancy, there are many companies now offering services where you may backup a computer online. This service is simple: you pay them to store your files on their highly secured and redundant servers, while you are able to restore your data from any computer with an internet connection.

Most providers will let you install the backup program on your computer. Each service varies a bit, but most of them include nice features like:

• Backup schedule tools, where you can select the files you want to store and decide when to back them up.
• File sharing, where others can access the data you have backed up online.
• File archiving so you can keep a record of older files and retrieve them when convenient.
• The ability to store files on a local media while you also backup your computer online.
• Mobile device applications so you can synchronize and access your files on the go, and many other features.

To backup a computer online, you will most likely need to install a software which will normally run in the background after you configure it.

But, why should people backup their computer online instead of locally? USB flash drives or external hard drives can drop and get damaged, lost or stolen. CD´s or DVD´s may get scratched for incorrect use. Natural disasters can lash against the place where your backup is located, which commonly also includes your computer.

Internet back up providers have more than one data center, so your data wont have to reside on one location.

They have servers which are set up in raid systems, which means that data is stored in redundant environments. If a hard drive in the server fails, your wont lose data since the other hard drives on the array also have the information.

Fully redundant power distribution units, UPS units, battery backups, power generators that work if an electrical outage occurs are other security layers inside their data centers. Additionally, unauthorized personal is kept away from server rooms.

If disaster hits a data center your information is still secured because it is backed up on other servers at other locations far one from another. Data that is backed up online is highly encrypted with technologies used in institutions like banks.

These services are available for PC and MAC. Options may start from free storage space that home users can have and upgrade to paid services later. A lot of businesses are using this type of service on normal basis.

Online backup instead of local backup is certainly very convenient for small businesses with lack of budget. Since customer and financial data are essential for any business, and can rarely be recovered from human memories it must be backed up and protected frequently.

The cost of the service is not expensive as you can end up paying about 0.13 to 0.20 cents daily for it.