Backblaze’s restoration process is uncommonly convoluted, which we detail in the Flaws but not dealbreakers section below. However, we like that Backblaze offers restore-by-mail options, which are handy if you have a slow internet connection and need to restore a big chunk of data. With one of these options, you pay an up-front fee for a USB flash drive or hard drive and then send it back for a refund after you get your files. IDrive offers a similar service with IDrive Express, which is free once a year, though you still need to ship the drive back. These services can be useful for large restores but may take up to 10 days before shipping the drives out. Arq Premium doesn’t have a similar restore-by-mail option but does have a much nicer software restore option, allowing you to restore files in place or to a new folder on both Windows and Mac.
Losing precious family photos or unintentionally deleting work files because your phone goes missing or your external drive stops working can be stressful. Accidents happen, but cloud storage services from Dropbox help make disaster recovery easier. When you move or delete a file in your Dropbox folder or on the web, we’ll confirm it’s the action you want to take. Relax knowing that all of your important files are safe in the cloud. For more information, read our guide on how to choose the best backup plan to determine which backup method works best for your needs.
An Exploration of the Layers of Cloud Computing
Core cloud-to-cloud SaaS backup offerings are listed, but do make sure to explore the link to the company’s site, since new products and services may be available. Unlike Backblaze, IDrive integrates file restoration into its desktop software. On Windows, you can choose between restoring files to their original location or choosing a new location manually. On Mac, no matter where you restore, the file or folders always start in a folder with the name of your backup, which means you’ll have to manually move them around to the correct locations.
OpenDrive is best for anyone who wants to save documents to the cloud, as well as syncing and sharing files across multiple devices. Plus, anyone with modest storage needs could potentially save money with the flexible https://www.globalcloudteam.com/ Custom plans. Backblaze can back up your entire computer to the cloud in a couple of clicks. There’s no limit to the amount of data you can upload, though each subscription only covers a single device.
How to pick an online storage and backup service
Desktop users can install a sync client, which supports folder and file uploads. There’s also a mobile app that can send photos and videos to your account. It supports adding files from a remote URL in addition to single file and whole folder uploads through a browser. The mobile apps can upload photos and videos directly to your account. Yes, there really are no-strings-attached, free online storage services out there. While nearly all have premium offerings that provide more space, the free options are usually more than enough for most people, especially if you use more than one.
Plus, many of these providers give out even more free space if you refer friends or perform basic tasks. If you want to ensure that you don’t lose all of your important data like photos, videos, documents, and music from your devices, backing up the data via cloud storage can give you peace of mind. When you back up to the cloud, the only loss will https://www.globalcloudteam.com/the-best-cloud-backup-services-for-business/ be your device and not all the precious content that may have been stored within. PCloud ranks highly on our best cloud storage list, coming in at second place just behind Sync.com. For backup, it also performs excellently, though it doesn’t have quite the range of features (or in the case of Backblaze, focus) to get it into the top three.
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The overall winner of this ranking is IDrive, which sports a rich set of online backup features and lots of flexibility. However, those who just want a quick and easy solution might prefer something like Backblaze or Carbonite. Many services offer versioning, which saves incremental changes you make to files as recoverable snapshots of the file.
- The web interface covers the basics, for instance, but doesn’t have the easy style of Google Drive or Dropbox.
- So you should do regular backups of everything that is important to you.
- The company offers backup solutions aimed not only at home and professional use, but also businesses.
- Keeping so many iterations of files can lead to massive amounts of storage usage, but IDrive sends you a notification email if you get close to your quota.
- IDrive uses a block-level algorithm to make sure you don’t waste a bunch of bandwidth re-uploading entire files when only parts of them have changed — making it one of the fastest backup options, too.
You can select how long it keeps files, whether it removes deleted files from backups or retains them, and whether to “thin” files over time (remove older versions). We also like that you can set a limit on the overall backup size, so you don’t end up with surprise overage bills. Like Backblaze and IDrive, Arq Premium has a deduplication function, so you don’t have to worry about the same file wasting space in several different folders. Accounts created after September 22, 2021 support deduplication, so you don’t need to worry about a file taking up space in multiple folder locations. But if you created an IDrive account before then, IDrive doesn’t have this feature. So if you merely move a file from one directory to another, IDrive will have two copies of that file in the backup.
The Pros and Cons of Cloud Backup
To reduce bandwidth consumption, the cloud backup provider may offer incremental backups after a complete initial backup. Once configured, backups are automatic and continuous, requiring no or minimal human intervention. Major cloud backup services allow users to work with stored files, control bandwidth, schedule backups, and add new data. That way, in an accident, you have a local backup handy for easy access and restoration, and in a disaster, your vital data is still safe in the cloud. All cloud backup services offer encryption of your data both during the transfer to and from your computer as well as while your data is stored on the provider’s servers.
It’s also not ideal for anyone who has multiple machines to back up, unless you happen to have have nearly unlimited storage needs. In that case, the reasonable yearly cost to back up each machine may be worth multiple Backblaze subscriptions. Here are five of the most popular cloud backup services and their key features. BestFile is a unique cloud storage service because it’s completely free for unlimited space. You can even upload files without a user account, though I do recommend making one so you can take advantage of all the options. SpiderOak One itself is nicely designed and simple enough to use, but you won’t find it lacking in data security.
Online/Cloud Backup Services
Both also offer some cloud backup, with iCloud and OneDrive, as well. These features and services are all well worth using, but they have some limitations, lacking some of the extra benefits you get from running standalone backup software. SpiderOak One Backup is for privacy-conscious people who want a cloud backup that’s fully encrypted and who are willing to put up with the inconveniences that brings.
Data backups to on-site servers are vulnerable to floods, fires, or similar types of disasters. By leveraging the cloud, businesses can automatically transfer their data to a more secure and well-organized location for easy access in the event of a disaster. It supports sharing both folders and files with non-registered users, and you can grant full editing privileges or viewing only via permissions. If you have Microsoft 365 (formerly Microsoft Office) files stored in your Dropbox account, you can edit them from inside your browser for free using the web versions of the apps. Another unique feature is conversions—right-click a PowerPoint presentation, for example, and you’re able to save all the slides to separate image files.
How Generative AI is a Game Changer for Cloud Security
Backblaze keeps file versions around for 30 days—less than we’d like—but it offers paid upgrades to adjust that retention period if you want to keep your backups available for longer. Backblaze supports external drives connected to your computer and has a good combination of online support tools. But its implementation of private encryption keys sacrifices some security for usability, and its restoration process is way too slow. First, you should copy your important files or your entire computer to an external hard drive, making what’s called a local backup. But local backups are susceptible to many of the same hazards that threaten your computer—theft, fire, flooding—so a good backup plan should also include some kind of off-site backup in case of emergency. An online backup service (sometimes called “cloud backup”) offers the security of off-site storage for your most essential files.