Two weeks ago, HP released HP Upline, a service similar to Mozy that [...]]]>

                                                    
Mozy, the online backup solution I use and have mentioned a couple times, is responding to HP’s Upline debacle in an interesting way. First, some background information:

Two weeks ago, HP released HP Upline, a service similar to Mozy that provides unlimited storage for $59/year. HP also released free accounts of the service, limited to 1GB and one year (Mozy does free too, but their version is 2GBs and has no expiration date). About a week and a half later, the Upline service went down for several days.

Soon after, I received an email from Mozy explaining how they’re trying to win some extra Mozy fans as a result of HP going down. So if you go to Mozy’s site and sign up, you can get 25% off biannual and annual signups (through April 30) with promo code UPLINE. (That’s better than the running deal for TechConsumer readers using promo code TECHCONSUMER to get 10% off an annual subscription or TECHCONSUMER2 to get 10% off a biannual subscription.)

It should be noted, however, that Mozy is getting pressure from more online backup/storage solutions (and let’s not forget the infamous rumor of Google coming out with a “GDrive”). Mozy does one thing, and one thing extremely well: backing up data.

But consumers are starting to look for more features (easy access from anywhere or sharing with friends). I, for one, haven’t played much with other options simply because Mozy does exactly what I need, and I’m not about to disrupt that. But that could change as my needs change. (So here’s hoping Mozy keeps up.)

For more info on what Mozy has to offer compared to other services, see this post.

Backing up your computer is something you don’t want to think about; you wish it would just happen. With that perspective, I thought I’d bring up the online backup service offered by Mozy. I use it for both my laptop and desktop and now think of backups only [...]]]>

Backing up your computer is something you don’t want to think about; you wish it would just happen. With that perspective, I thought I’d bring up the online backup service offered by Mozy. I use it for both my laptop and desktop and now think of backups only when I desperately need to restore something (which can happen more often than you think).

Mozy has a free version, which allows you to backup two gigabytes of data. It requires no credit card and is quick and easy to install. And it’s no different than the version you pay for in terms of features and options. The only difference is that if you do pay $5 per month, your backup has no size limit (if you are interested in the Mozy Unlimited version, when signing up, use promo code TECHCONSUMER to get 10% off an annual subscription or TECHCONSUMER2 to get 10% off a biannual subscription).

In either version, the software automatically detects what it thinks are your most important files needing backup and compiles them into “backup sets,” such as Favorites, My Documents, Music, Photos & Images, Videos, etc. But if you’d rather backup your data from a typical Windows Explorer kind of view, that option is easily accessible by just clicking on the “File System” tab.

The company has had a serious credibility boost via an action-packed year last year. Here’s a wrap up:

• It now works for the Mac which Michael Arrington of TechCrunch calls the “first really useful Mac hard drive backup solution.”
• Even Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal seemed impressed by the backup service.
• General Electric bought MozyPro (the enterprise version of Mozy) for all of its 300,000+ employees, which more than doubled Mozy’s customer base.
• Last but not least, the company was acquired by EMC Corporation for a rumored $76 million.

See below for a chart that sums up nicely what Mozy offers when compared to the competition. Keep in mind that this is straight from the company’s website, though I can attest to having used many of the features listed that aren’t offered by the competition (same goes for Mossberg in his review). It can be the little things that seem to make the difference, such as the option to have all your files sent to you on DVD or Mozy keeping multiple versions of your files for 30 days.

So if you want a free, simple-to-use backup, try the free version of Mozy. If you want a more complete backup solution for your computer, it’s hard to beat the unlimited service offered for $5 per month. And if your backup needs are more robust, MozyPro is definitely an option, which includes a bunch of additional features: 24/7 support, server backups, administrator control for the IT department, etc.

Disclosure: Mozy is a sponsor of this site, though I have been using Mozy as my backup solution well before it was a sponsor (and before any of the positive news from last year). Sponsor or not, I use it and recommend it.

Backing up your computer is never something you want to worry about it; you wish it would just happen. With that perspective, I previously reviewed two online backup services: Mozy and Carbonite. Mozy had more customization options while Carbonite had a slicker interface and offered unlimited backups.

But [...]]]>

Backing up your computer is never something you want to worry about it; you wish it would just happen. With that perspective, I previously reviewed two online backup services: Mozy and Carbonite. Mozy had more customization options while Carbonite had a slicker interface and offered unlimited backups.

But Mozy’s back with the release of Mozy Unlimited, and the company today has impressed even Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal. It’s the little things that seem to make the difference, such as the option to have all your files sent to you on DVD or Mozy keeping multiple versions of your files for 30 days (Carbonite doesn’t have the DVD option and only keeps the latest version of any file).

In fact, here’s a chart that sums up nicely what Mozy offers when compared to the competition. Keep in mind that this is straight from the company’s website, though both Walt and I refer to these bonus features in our respective reviews:

So if you’re looking for quality online backups, Carbonite does have a 15-day free trial, but Mozy has a completely free version of it’s backup software with a backup limit of two gigabytes (though that’s often enough for many users). For more details, check out my initial reviews:

Review of Mozy: Free Online Backup

Review of Carbonite: Online PC Backup Made Easy

So I recently reviewed Carbonite, a $5 per month online backup service for unlimited data backups from one computer. But the last few days I’ve been playing with Mozy, another online backup service with a different offering. In a nutshell, Mozy [...]]]>

So I recently reviewed Carbonite, a $5 per month online backup service for unlimited data backups from one computer. But the last few days I’ve been playing with Mozy, another online backup service with a different offering. In a nutshell, Mozy offers more control, more features, and is completely free for two gigabytes of online storage. The down side is that for $5 per month, you only get a maximum of 30 gigs (see update at end of article). And though the interface gives power users more control, it may be less inviting to the average user. But free is free. There is no reason why any of us shouldn’t take advantage of backing up our most important two gigabytes of data.

Mozy requires no credit card and is quick and easy to install. It automatically detects what it thinks are your most important files needing backup and compiles them into “backup sets,” such as Favorites, My Documents, Music, Photos & Images, Videos, etc. But if you’d rather backup your data from a typical Windows Explorer kind of view, that option is easily accessible by just clicking on the “File System” tab.

When putting a check mark by each folder or file you’re interested in backing up, you have several options. For instance, you can backup all the content of a folder including any new files created later or you can backup files in a folder but not include new files created later (only monitor and backup changes to existing files). This is an example of a feature / distinction which is handy to a few (I like it) but may be confusing. To check the status of a particular folder, simply hover over it and a pop up window will give you details on how it will be backed up. Alternatively, you can tell when new files in the folder will be backed up because the folder will have two check marks, one in the box to the left and one right on top of the folder itself.

But what can be frustrating (and what happened to me) is that you can start playing with which sub folders and files will be backed up in a particular folder (in my case, My Documents) only to find that fifteen minutes later, when you think you have a perfect backup set, you forgot to make the change so that any new files created in the My Documents root folder will be backed up as well. And the only way to make that change at the folder level is to undue any changes or setup you did to any sub folder.

If this isn’t making sense, just remember that the backup process is simple if you decide to backup all files or folders in a particular location. But once you want to take advantage of the advanced options of picking and choosing which files and which folders, be sure to refer to Mozy’s excellent user guide before assuming that you know what you’re doing.

And that’s really my only real complaint with the software itself, the interface could be a little more user friendly. Oh, and one other suggestion for the next release: it’d sure be nice if I could see a preview (thumbnail or whatever) of a picture or document and have the ability to open it right there from within Mozy before deciding if I want to back it up. As it is, I have to open My Computer or Windows Explorer separately to have those options. I’d love it if I could get all that from within Mozy.

Now for the good stuff: Mozy’s Schedule page gives some nice and flexible options. You can tell it to backup only if your computer’s CPU is working at X percentage or less. And you can specify how long the computer has to be idle before a backup is attempted. That’s if you want it to backup your files automatically. If you’re one who likes your backup on a set schedule, you can tell Mozy to backup at the same time daily or weekly, etc. And lastly, you can specify how many days can go by without a backup before Mozy reminds you to backup (in case your computer is never idle and never gets a chance to backup). While the defaults on a lot of these features may be just fine for most, I personally like the customization factor (something lacking in Carbonite, which does everything behind the scenes in an arbitrary sort of way in the name of simplicity).

The Options tab also has some additional features for even more tweaking for those interested. But the feature I think is the most valuable is the History tab, which gives you an overview of every attempt, success, or failure of any backup performed. Clicking on any backup will populate the lower window with the details of which files were backed up during that particular backup. This is a really nice feature for those of us who like to double check backups quickly. Mozy also adds a new “virtual drive” to My Computer that allows you to browse your online folders and files. While this is a nice way to browse your backup, I like the fact that the History tab exists to give you the more detailed explanation behind each and every backup.

Restoring is easy, of course. Either navigate to your virtual drive in My Documents and right click on a folder or file and then click restore. Or if your computer crashes and you need to restore all your files to a new computer, you can do it easily through logging into Mozy’s website on a new computer.

Mozy also allows you to keep your own private encryption key (a feature that Carbonite claims is coming soon for its software). Alternatively, you can have the company keep it safely so that you only have to remember your password to get to your encrypted data in case of a restore being needed. Mozy really shines in its ability to backup files while they’re still open. So you don’t necessarily have to close your email for Mozy to be backing it up in the background.

The truth is that for a cheapskate like me, I’ll probably end up using both Mozy and Carbonite. I have two computers, my main laptop which has less data (but it changes daily) and my second computer, which has the bulk of my pictures/musics/videos/games, etc. So I’m backing up my laptop using Mozy’s free service while backing up my 50+ gigs on my other computer with Carbonite’s unlimited backup service.

Though it’s difficult to ignore Carbonite’s unlimited feature and its slick and glossy “Backup for Everyone” look, Mozy is a great place to start if you want a free, smaller backup with more control.

*Update* Mozy strikes back with unlimited backups and new options. Check out the latest article on the service.

Carbonite is an automated online backup service that is in the business of pleasing anyone who needs a computer backed up but who hates remembering to do it (that would be most of us). I’ve been giving the service a trial run for the last few days via the company’s two [...]]]>

Carbonite is an automated online backup service that is in the business of pleasing anyone who needs a computer backed up but who hates remembering to do it (that would be most of us). I’ve been giving the service a trial run for the last few days via the company’s two week free trial. Though there may be a couple of features I’d like to see implemented, the company’s mantra of “Backup. Simple.” definitely holds true.

Here’s how it works: You sign up through Carbonite’s website, a simple process with no credit card required for the free trial. Afterward, it asks you to download and install the software, which runs in your system tray (the little area by the clock in the lower right-hand corner). Of course, I was skeptical at first, never wanting to add anything to my computer that’s a service running in the background. The last thing I need is one more piece of software trying to clog up my system resources and slow down my computer.

But the truth is, I noticed no slow down whatsoever. The software first asks you what you’d like backed up with three simple choices of My Documents, Everything, or Let Me Choose. It then waits for five minutes of inactivity before beginning the back up process. So when you’re at lunch or away from your desk, your latest documents are being backed up. But as soon as you start using your computer again, the service immediately pauses itself and waits for inactivity before continuing.

The first backup takes the longest, of course. It’s recommended that you leave your computer on overnight for a couple days so that Carbonite has plenty of inactivity time to backup up your gigabytes of data. I chose to backup about 10 gigabytes of data and averaged 3 gigabytes per day with my computer running overnight for the last few days. The best part is that Carbonite has no limitation on backup size, which is its most notable advantage over the competition. For only $5 per month (or the less expensive $50 per year), you can back as much data as you please from any one computer (you have to pay for the service per computer).

For the security conscious, take comfort in the fact that all files are encrypted before they leave your PC and are sent via an SSL link (the same secure connection used by most major online retailers to protect your credit card info during purchases).

At any time, you can check the status of any file you have scheduled for backup just by looking at it in My Computer or Windows Explorer. Files that have the latest version backed up have a green dot on them whereas files with a yellow dot mean they are pending backup. Restoring files is simple as well. A new “virtual drive” is added in My Computer that allows you to browse your online folders and files. If you want to restore one, simply right click and click restore. Or if your computer crashes and you need to restore all your files to a new computer, click on the restore tab on Carbonite’s website to login online and restore your data to the new computer.

As for the logistics of how the backup works, to quote the site’s “technical” FAQ, “When Carbonite detects that a file has been modified, it checks to make sure that the file has remained unchanged for 10 minutes before the file is made eligible for backup. By default, a modified file is backed up only once every 24 hours in order to give users the opportunity to restore the previous version if necessary. So, for example, if you modify a file and save it, Carbonite will wait 10 minutes and then backup the modified file. If you then modify the file again, Carbonite may wait up to 24 hours before backing up the file again. Our policy is that your backup will always be current within 24 hours…Yes, you can cause Carbonite to immediately backup any file. Right click on the file you want to back up and select ‘Backup as soon as possible.’”

I actually think that’s a fine way to handle most backups. Having my backup current within 24 hours is much better than how it was before! I have one minor issue in that if I want to “opt in” for the “backup as soon as possible” option, I have to click on each file individually. There is no way to make that change globally or even at the folder level. Also, by default, Carbonite doesn’t back up executable files (.exe) or empty folders, which is just fine in most cases (most people just care about actual data). These default options can be changed, but again, it has to be done one file at a time. This issue may only apply to someone like me who likes to fine tune or tweak settings while at the same time not necessarily wanting to micro-manage every single file in the process. The default settings are likely to be a good fit 99% of the time.

Also, though Carbonite does doubly encrypt your data while transferring it to secure servers for backup, the company currently keeps copies of all users’ private encryption keys in its database so that users only need to remember their Carbonite password. The database is “isolated and accessible only to certain Carbonite employees.” In an upcoming free update, Carbonite will offer users the option of storing their own private keys. But then if you lose your key, you’ve lost your data, as the company will have no way to get past its own encryption. There’s no perfect solution here and that’s not Carbonite’s fault. For most of us, a few Carbonite employees potentially having access to our vacation pics is probably not a big deal.

Again, these are very minor quibbles that I point out just for the benefit of readers being aware. All in all, this is one of the best backup services I have found to date. I liked it enough to advertise it on Computers.net for awhile.

*Update* Check out Carbonite’s competition, Mozy. You can get two gigabytes of online storage for free, plus it has a few advanced options lacking in Carbonite.