Automatic (Offsite) Backup for your PC

[35R]

Hi guys

I've often thought it would be a good idea to have a system whereby PC backup via automated internet upload would be a great idea.

Enter Carbonite:

http://www.carbonite.com

Baisically it is $5/month for unlimited backup's for a single PC. Examples on their website only show up to 40Gb so I dont know if it is really unlimited exactly. You can get a free trial for 15 days or so (I don't think you can backup music or video files for the trial version).

$5/month for secure offline (and automated) backup is awesome. You can essentially tell it to backup "everything" on your PC, but I have elected to explicitly backup only a few folders for now (family photo's, trackchat source code and Outlook Express data). All up it was about 450Mb, and i think it took an hour or two to upload (not that it would really matter if it took longer). You can throttle it to run slower uploads if you like, however I didnt notice any loss of internet connectivity on the normal setting.

Once your files are online, you can get access to them from anywhere on the internet, which might be handy (say if your PC died). I assume it automatically detects when your files change, and uploads new versions as required, but I havent confirmed that yet.

This looks so good, and so cheap, i had to try it out, and thus far it looks the goods. I think I will be signing up for this one. Think about all the photos/videos/emails and documents on your PC these days, automated offsite backup is a good idea, expecially in case of fire. I hazard a guess this really isnt for archiving massive mp3 collections or anything like that, but for those precious photos, family videos, documents etc, this is pure gold.

Give it a try, it is so easy to use.

[NickS]

Great info Dunc, I'll check it out for sure ... thanks for that.

:hmmm: ... just checked, our family photos / videos total 10.4GB now ... WOW !!!

[BOMI]

Very interesting Dunc, thanks for the info.

I think ill try and get MSN and Hotmail working before I try this

Troy :)

[RedVYIISS]

Very interesting Dunc, thanks for the info.

I think ill try and get MSN and Hotmail working before I try this

Troy :)

What do you want hot males for? I didn't know you were that kinda guy.... (not that there's anything wrong with that... each to their own I guess!!!!)

And is suppose MSN's some sort of yuppy code for more of that naughty stuff you young people are into these days..... Oh, I don't know, what's the world coming to.....

[DaveHAT]

Essentially I like the idea of this Dunc and call me superstitious but I don't know if I'd be 100% comfortable storing personal stuff like family photo's etc somewhere offsite where I can keep creative control and license over them.

Secure connection and security in the event of a disaster (fire) is great and I am probably just being overly cautious but I'd prob give it a miss.

:)

[Kyle]

It's an awesome concept for sure :)

Though i'd be concerned about who owns copyright to your media, probably not so much of a concern to you guys?

fyi, if you want somewhere to just store your photos, smugmug will keep a permenant archive of your photos, and you own copyright, and theyre never deleted from your archive :)

[35R]

i seriously doubt they would take copyright over your files or images. certainly not a concern for me. there is some mention of who has access and how encryption works, in their faq and there is probably something in their license agreement.

[Febs]

These Internet backup services are a great idea, but my problem is - if I wanted to backup all my stuff I'd use up my 10gb cap ten times over (and then some), and I don't even download or TV shows/movies or pirated music! It's mostly all work, video clips, video footage I've edited, legitimate music etc...

I keep all my stuff on a 300gb external HD which I can grab and run with if need be (which is a real concern during summer around here due to bushfires).

It is a good idea though. A mate of mine has a server he's been bugging me to start backing my stuff up to. He's got a few hundred gig free and told me I can use it if I want. Might take him up on it actually.

Cheers,
- Febs.

[35R]

This one's not limited to 10Gb Febs, they say it's unlimited. And only $5/month, you will not find cheaper. But i would hazard a guess 40Gb ~ 60Gb would be their "fair use" limit, but i just dont know.. This tool is awesome, and is really for mainstream mum and dad users, not for people with heaps of online storage and the wherewithall to use FTP etc. Plus it just automatically backs up your data in the background, set and forget. How many of us have done a backup in the last week or month? I forget all the time.