Glyn Barnes
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Off Site Backups
I currently use Acronis to make backup images of my disks and also do a straight copy of the most critical files. I am reasonably confident that I have a reasonable solution for disk failure but as the backup disk is in the same building I would not be protected in the event of a disaster.
I am curious about offsite backup services, it seem they charge a fee, say $10 month and backup to a server somewhere. Does anyone here use such a service, if so how do you find it?
Experience with a corperate system has taught me the inital backup takes a very long time, but the incremental updates go quite quickley. The software is a bit intrusive though as it can't be scheduled.
My requirments would be for a service that could hold up to 2TB data and I would retain full control over when the software ran.
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Beagle
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Re:Off Site Backups
2011/04/25 09:10:55
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I'm not sure about your comment about the software can't be scheduled. both types of backups, software loaded on your computer and online services can be scheduled. and actually both types require software to be installed on your system as well. I have full control over when Acronis runs on my system, so maybe you have an older version or maybe you just haven't found the system options for that?
I currently use Acronis as well, but I've had 2 hard drives fail. both of those were my back up drives, so I've also been considering an online backup service. acronis sent an email recently about their online backup service. they have a free trial version, but it's only 2G allowed for the free service. I signed up for the free service and just chose a few files to back up for the trial time to see how things went.
the only thing I don't like so far is that it reached the 2G limit a couple of days ago but it did not notify me of the failure message of the limit being reached. I only knew it happened because I opened the acronis online software and looked there and the message was there.
if it would pop up a window or send me an email or something when an error occurs that would be very helpful.
I may go with the paid service for acronis, I haven't fully decided yet. it wasn't too expensive, as I recall.
another service I know that some of the forum members use is carbonite. I've looked at it before too, but I think I'll look at it again now that I'm considering using online seriously and stop buying hard drives.
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fireberd
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Re:Off Site Backups
2011/04/25 10:47:52
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I use Acronis. I only make full hard drive (all partitions) backups, not just certain data or incremental backups. If you are only backing up certain data you don't need a backup program for that.
I have two separate hard drives for backups. An internal drive and a USB connected drive. I alternate the backups between the two drives. If one drive fails I still have the backup on the other drive. I also backup recording sessions to a third hard drive, thus barring a fire that would destroy everything I'm fully covered.
Although I used to be a LAN/WAN Network Manager (before I retired) I still do not like the "off site" or "cloud" only backups. Where I worked they did three daily backups, one copy was kept on site at the computer center, another copy was taken to a local off site location and a third sent to a records storage location in another state. This was for very critical data (Social Security) so there had to be this level of backup. For a personal PC or even a production PC such as a Recording system what I do would be more than adequate.
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JonD
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Re:Off Site Backups
2011/04/25 13:24:32
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Certainly, there's some wisdom in having more than one drive backup/image - and keeping the second (or third) set offsite. And as long as it's not your only copy, I don't have any objections to using the online backup services... That said, I think CW's recent website outage showed everyone how fallible online services can be (no matter how big the host company is, or what they promise). 
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Glyn Barnes
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Re:Off Site Backups
2011/04/25 23:25:28
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Beagle
I'm not sure about your comment about the software can't be scheduled.
This is due to the way a corperate installation of the backup software was set up. Thanks for the replies so far. If I were to use a offline backup, it would not be my primary backup, That would be my local Acronis disk images and straight copies of the most critical data on USB hard drives. I am looking at disaster recovery. Its either a offsite back up service or making an extra set periodic disk images and storing the hard drive at someone elses house. I will look into Carbonite.
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Guitarhacker
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Re:Off Site Backups
2011/04/26 08:38:35
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I use Carbonite on my business computer. Also got it for my daughter's college lappy. It's totally in the background and automatic. Add a new file to a selected folder and it automatically backs it up. www.carbonite.com and it's about $60 a year.... I think you get a discount for multiple years and multiple computers. It will not back up external drives nor will it backup the OS or the applications, nor will it back up network drives in other computers on your network. Only the data files in the internal drives of the licensed machine. Does it work? Yes it does. I had a crash.... big crash and lost everything on the drive. After buying a new computer and logging in to change the license to the new computer (very easy to do) I started the restore. It is slow since it backs up everything on the computer if you wish it to...... 4 days later, I had every file back and was ready to roll again. You can select files to get the important ones back quickly such as business files. Music and pics are non-critical so taking 4 days to restore them was no biggie.
post edited by Guitarhacker - 2011/04/26 08:40:31
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markcrusey
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Re:Off Site Backups
2011/11/17 12:18:23
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I prefer always the online backup service.But in my business i use the Carbonite backup service.I think you get a discount for multiple years and multiple computers.It will give only the back up of the all data files in the computer,it can't give the backup of the operating system.It provides the disaster recovery.
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