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Friday, September 28, 2012

Online Backup-Why You Need It

By Walter Henry


Computer viruses. Natural Disasters. Burglary. These unpredictable catastrophes are responsible for data loss on a regular basis. Even though most people are aware of the need to back up their data, most are too lazy or unworried to actually implement a backup system for their files. Unfortunately, the repercussions can be severe, in lost money, time, opportunity or even employment.

Those who have caught on to the viability and the necessity of storing your important and irreplaceable data off-site (somewhere other than your residence) are increasingly realizing that the cloud is where you need to store your data.

Although the term "cloud" hasn't always been clearly understood, most people now are realizing that it is the millions of virtual servers responsible for housing the huge amount of important data that cannot afford to be lost.

The main areas of service for cloud storage companies are moving data to and from your PC as quickly as possible and securely backing it up. The top tier plans are designed for businesses and those with large data stores. They feature nearly unlimited data storage and run around $40/month. For about half this price, individuals can find a backup plan for their needs.

Automatic syncing is an extremely valuable feature you may want to check for in an online backup service. This is the ability to have your files regularly and autamtically backed up by the company, so you don;t need to worry about it at all.

What is most appealing about cloud storage services is that they don't require buying more "stuff", no hard drives, server boxes or anything you have to keep track of. Your data is housed in the virtual sky-the cloud.

If you have ever used a file transfer service to transfer a 5-gigabyte file or a set of 1000 photos to a friend or colleague, you most likely didn't use standard email. You most likely used one of the growing many cloud computing services and their entry-level file transfer/storage plans.

In fact, you may find that most of your friends have subscribed to one or more of these services (subscribing is the only way to send the files) out of sheer necessity to get files from point A to point B. The next step, online backup is what's taking hold nowadays, particularly with business who cannot afford even the hint of loss of vital data.

The catalyst that is the best motivator to move to secure offsite backup is hearing one too many disaster story of someone losing their irreplaceable data to a burglary or natural disaster. It is becoming clear that in the future, online backup services will be the norm for practical securtiy and efficiency reasons.

Welcome to the future.




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