TechCrunch has a post about Carbonite, an online storage seller and backup application, that also touches on other online backup solutions such as Mozy, GDrive and the upcoming Microsoft Live Drive.
In theory, online storage is a great idea. I have used Box.Net and recently X-Drive. All of these applications have neat features. But when you start talking about online backup, there are two problems that none of them can solve. Two problems that, as far as I can see, will always be an inherent limitation to online backup.
The first is speed. Even over broadband, it takes a long, long time to upload gigabyte upon gigabyte of data. Carbonite tries to address this problem by doing the uploading over a number of days. I like the idea, but that only mitigates the problem. The problem is still a problem.
Personally, I do my backup two ways. Weekly to a networked server, using FilebackPC. Periodically to either a removable hard drive, for big files like music, or via a DVD-R, for documents, etc. That way I have redundant backup, both local and off-site (in a safe at my office). It’s not a perfect solution, but if you configure FilebackPC correctly and remember to backup to removable hard drives and DVDs semi-regularly, it’s pretty comprehensive.
The other problem is security. There is some data that I am happy to backup online. Half-written songs, letters, and other stuff that would probably bore any interloper to tears. But I’m nowhere close to comfortable backing up bank and financial records online. I’m sure there’s all sorts of security in place in most online storage applications, but if I’m here and it’s there, logic tells me I have added another layer of risk.
This is not to say that there isn’t a place for online storage. But I think most of us are a long way from relying on online storage for backing up our most personal and important data.
I’m willing to be convinced otherwise, if anyone wants to give it a shot.
Tags: online storage, computer backup
Newsome.Org 