Go get some backup

Online backup sites provide an affordable option to protect valuable data

Online backup sites provide an affordable option to protect valuable data
Losing all the data on your PC as you look on helplessly must rank among the worst nightmares of the digital age. But thanks to the Internet, you won8217;t have to wake up in a cold sweat trying to regurgitate the last draft of your next novel. No, I am not going to talk about an external hard disk or a rather large pen drive, but a virtual vault where all your data and digital stuff can be backed up safely, far away from crashing PCs and evil viruses.

First let me tell you how this works. Just go to one of the many sites providing online backup services, create an account, download their software and install it. Once this is done, select the files for which you want a backup made8212;this means any digital file, music, video, e-mail, photos or documents. Then, just click the backup button and upload the files to your virtual vault. Simple?

Now, that8217;s too simple. Well, this is where things take a twist. Once you have uploaded the files you want backed up, you can schedule similar sessions at regular intervals. All you need is a Net connection, preferably broadband if you are planning to store large files, and the software will automatically save the latest version8212;users can even select folders from which all content will be saved. This means changes made to already existing files will also be saved, giving you multiple versions of the files saved online.

To restore these files on to your computer, just log into your account, click the files that you have saved and restore to the desired location on your PC. You can access these files directly through the Internet and make modifications when needed. Some sites like idrive.com provide an Explorer-like application which, when installed, shows your account like another drive on the PC/laptop. Users can just drag and drop files into the folder.

There is a catch though. While most websites allow you to save a certain amount of data8212;up to 2GB8212;for free, you have to pay up to use the service at a more serious level. However, most of this is not that expensive. Some services allow you to upload up to 150GB a month for as little as 5, that8217;s about Rs 3,000 a year. Though there are costlier options available, this should be enough considering that it will take around a month to upload 150GB using a 256mbps connection. It is ideal to have an unlimited Internet connection if you are planning to use the service, otherwise the software will do the scheduled backups and you will be left with a hefty Internet bill.

While there are many companies, even majors like Symantec, providing online backup services, idrive.com, ibackup.com, databarracks.com and dataprotection.com are among the more popular sites.