Online Backups?

[Johnny]

Some suggest that you should backup your data by using online hard drive services. How reliable is this actually and how safe would you feel to do this?

 

[bsmit212]

There are some I would trust. The one I hear about the most is Carbonite.

However, unless you run a small or home business where daily off site backups are needed, it would be cheaper to just buy an external hard drive and make sure you make backup of important files when you want/need to.

But it is up to you which one you want to do.

 

[ejdixon]

I keep two accounts. One is for my work stuff and the other are for the important personal documents. So far, haven't been disappointed with it. It really comes in handy, especially when I'm rushing for an appointment. I still use an external hard drive for my files too, just to be on the safe side.

 

[Barney]

It sounds nice, having your data backed up online for easy and convenient retrieval but I still I would encrypt those files just in case because you never know who's looking.

 

[Johnny]

Thanks for the answers, I will keep that encryption tip in mind when I backup. What I usually do is archive the file(s) first to reduce size and thus speed up download time.

 

[carmen]

I hear about Carbonite a good bit but I have never used it. Those who are tech savvy in our family do not use it either, if its really important they will toss the data on a spare hard drive, those detachable types. I just use drop box that my son setup for me but I never really keep anything too important on my computer, just personal stuff like photos of the kids and grand-babies.

 

[GA_gal]

I've never bothered with online backups, either. I prefer to backup smaller documents like Word/Excel files to a flash drive and photos/videos to an external hard drive.

 

[Theosus]

Back up to a small portable drive, then take it to work and stick it in your desk, or car trunk, or wherever. If the house burns down you have all your stuff.

 

[Barney]

Back up to a small portable drive, then take it to work and stick it in your desk, or car trunk, or wherever. If the house burns down you have all your stuff.

You are right. The chance of both burning down are very small. So you should be okay with at least once external backup. I usually use an external hard drive for that, besides my standard USB flash drive.

 

[Johnny]

I use a small flash drive to backup daily data and to secure it. Flash drive is easy to carry but for more data external drive is needed.

 

[cabinfever]

An external hard drive is good but it's not safe if you keep it in your house with the computer you're backing up. If there's a fire, you lose both of them. If you are going to do your own backups, you should keep a copy off-site, if there is anything important on there.

Carbonite is good, especially since you don't have to even think about it. I use that for my crucial files. I use Google Drive for my data files that I use for my business.