Overview of Online Backup

The lectures on 27th of February has discussed about online backup. The discussion has driven me to search more information on this topic. :)

What is an online backup?

Online backup enable users to optical or tape backup solutions. Compare to the traditional methods, they require capital to set up and people to operate them. But an online backup system avoids these problems.

The online backup provider supplies a software agent to be installed on the computer to be backed up. This busy piece of software allows the user to select the files to be backed up, manages the internet connection, encrypts and compresses the data before transferring it across the internet to a secure, remote location, and allows the user to view and restore the backed up documents.

Why is it useful?

This technology has several advantages. The most obvious advantage is the disaster recovery offered by offsite storage. First, cost saving, there is no capital outlay required to purchase new equipment.There are no ongoing media costs or staff costs, running costs are limited to paying a monthly fee. Second, ease of use, setup and installation is simple, the user just need to download the software and takes only a few minutes to set up. This is the set up instruction for the dropbox online backup services. If you have already own online backup service, but having difficulties in setting up it into your computer, you can learn more on this link i have created.

Third, data recovery of online backup services is equally fast, as there is no searching for the right tape or waiting for IT staff to recover lost data. And the last one which appeal to be attractive for the users, the backup process itself is completely automated which ensures that it gets done, and the backed up files can then be accessed by anyone with permission, allowing file sharing with traveling colleagues, clients, or home PCs.

Is there any limitation on this technology?

However, the major limitation of online backup is its characteristic itself. In order to use online backup, we have to relies on an internet connection. For smaller data volumes a dial-up connection may be adequate, but permanent broadband connection able to handle significantly larger volumes is a necessity in most cases.

Other than that, Whatever type of connection is used, the initial backup will take a long time. A complete copy of the data must be encrypted, compressed, and copied. This initial copy could possibly be unrealistically long if a large amount of data is being sent over a dial up connection, although most online backup providers will allow the user to break off and resume the backup later. Once this initial backup is complete, subsequent backups will only backup files that have been changed, making them a lot faster.

Is it safe to be use?

Though some may have understandable concerns about a third party holding their most valuable data, in reality online backups are very secure. Before being transferred, the backup data is encrypted to 128-bit level - military grade - making it effectively impossible for any one to intercept or decrypt the data. The user is the only person who can read it.

Another common concern is about the security of the data storage center itself. These are invariably class-A facilities equipped with fire suppression, security cameras, personnel access controls, backup electricity generators, using multiple ISPs, high-end firewalls, and clustering and mirroring techniques to ensure the stored data is always available to clients. Except in exceptional cases, the storage premises will be more secure than the client's own premises.

Before end up discussion on this topic, i would like to provide you the several online backup services providers. You could compare each of them to find the most preferred one.

1. Norton http://us.norton.com/online-backup/

2. Dropbox http://www.dropbox.com/

The video tutorial for dropbox http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvB76EykgjE

3. The top 25 online backup leaders

http://www.onlinebackupreviews.com/Top25-mainpage.html

Information retrieved from http://free-backup.info/what-is-an-online-backup.html

Author :Andrew Whitehead