Anyone who owns a desktop computer or a laptop computer knows the importance of backing up their computer files. Anything could happen to your computer, especially if you use a laptop computer - but even desktop users are at risk. On a Monday morning as you rush to get ready for work, you might spill a cup of coffee on your computer tower. During a lightning storm, an electrical surge could fry your computer's innards. Or, Grandma could unwittingly send you a computer virus that wipes your hard drive clean. And once your computer files are gone, it can sometimes be impossible to restore your data.
We all know the inherent dangers of not backing up our computer data, but most of us don't actually do it. We find countless excuses to not backup the files we have on our home computer. "I don't have enough time," or "it's too expensive," or "I don't know what I'm doing--I'm not a technology geek!"
However, there is a whole slew of new computer backup options that harness the power of the Internet to offer quick, efficient and seamless backup safety for your desktop computer or laptop computer. Now, even people who aren't computer-savvy can backup their entire hard drive with the click of their mouse. And even computer veterans will appreciate the level of customization and options that online backup services provide.
First off, why backup your computer files online? It used to be that you would use external hard drives or boxes of DVDs or CD-Rs to save your computer files. Now, you don't have to bother with purchasing expensive computer hardware backup systems from CompUSA, and you don't have to spend hours burning DVDs or labeling CDs. With online backup services, all you have to do is install a small program on your computer and the company backs up your data on their servers. YOU don't have to buy any computer hardware at all!
Of course, using the Internet to backup your computer files, mp3 music and emails has it's many advantages. It also has disadvantages. One of the biggest disadvantages of backing up your computer online is the speed of your Internet connection, or lack thereof. If you choose to save your files on the Internet, you need to have a high-speed Internet connection. Don't even bother with online backups if you have a dial-up, 56k internet connection.
Even with a fast, DSL Internet connection, it took me nine 24-hour days to backup my AppleMacbook laptop computer. However, once your initial backup is complete, the backup software quickly and efficiently saves any changes you make.
That being said, another great advantage that online computer backups offer is a sense of security and safety that hardware backups don't provide. If you backup your computer on another hard drive or on media discs, a house fire could destroy both your original computer AND your backups. Even worse, a robber could take both AND have access to your personal files.
What online backups are best? One of the biggest and best providers of online computer backup services is Mozy (mozy.com), an EMC company. Mozy has a free backup plan, or $4.95 per month for unlimited backup. This is perfect for most computer users and allows you to backup your entire computer: Documents, tax information, emails, calendars, iTunes music, and more. If you purchase a 2-year plan you are given a sizable discount.
Backing up your computer online is a great way for anyone to backup their computer for safekeeping without having to purchase external hard drives or know too much about computers. It's simple and easy and now you have no excuse to safeguard your data.
Thanks for sharing! As a business owner, I've come to the realization that having a disaster recovery plan is crucial. If anything goes wrong, you don't have to worry.
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ReplyDeleteExcellent site, keep up the good work my colleagues would love this.
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