Online data storage is an easy solution for a lurking danger. Data disasters can strike at any time and typically small businesses do not have the IT staff strength or budget to manage in-house back up, much less remote back-up. This article shows you how to choose the best possible online service.
Introduction
Online storage services available all over the web are quite often the best bet against data disasters. It also ensures you are back on your feet very quickly. Without the budget for additional IT staff, these services are good for your daily back up and any restores you may need. These services offer quite large storage for a very affordable price. So the real question is how do you pick the best from several very good providers? One that provides you the most cost-effective service, most bang for the buck so to speak? This article is a review of the best kind of services available and the features available with them. It also points out how each of these features are important, so that you are able to pick the best for your unique needs easily.
Important Parameters
The most important parameter is, of course, the storage space available. Try to obtain as much storage price at as low a price as possible. Typical other features would be easy uploads/downloads, maybe even a desktop up-loader for a batch of files, easy sharing, remote access, etc. An easy file search utility is another desirable feature. The ability to share files privately or publicly is also an essential feature. Scheduled backup may be necessary. Some services help you do that implicitly without specific effort required on anybody’s part. Any ease of use feature such as the ability to drag & drop and manipulate the file storage would really be of added value. Sub accounts help make managing the services easier. Sending data outside the perimeter of the organization can cause paranoia attacks. So it is important that the service provider does support encryption and password protection.
If you get a tie on the service provider candidates you are evaluating on the strict technical and feature issue, what distinguishes great ones from others is great service. Besides FAQ, user manuals and tutorials, human help is what makes the difference. Email, phone and online chat backed by responsive and skilled staff becomes the key differentiator.
Actual Dimensions of Available Features
Most providers will give you a free trial account and the space that can be utilized is typically 1 to 2 GB. Paid accounts offer you anywhere from 25 GB to 1000GB or even unlimited storage. Prices range from $5 to $25 per month. Some vendors charge a yearly fee usually at about $55 a year. Prices depend on offering of course. Typical packages in these price ranges offer up to 40-60 GB. One vendor offers 1000GB for a monthly fee of $131 per month.
So, if you are out searching for a vendor, you should be evaluating some of the top line vendors that come up again and again on on-line reviews. Some recommended such service providers are, in no particular order, SugarSync, Mozy, ADrive, Box.net, Online Storage Solution and Carbonite. Carbonite has a nice scheme of keeping your files up to date without anyone ever bothering about managing that. While this is done in the background, Carbonite does not hog resources or slow you down.
Added Benefits of Online Storage
With online storage, you not only protect your data from disasters , manmade, accidental or natural; you are able to recover from malicious attacks from virus and other malware. Being able to share the data with your colleagues, teammates or even family and friends is a bonus. That you are able to access your data from anywhere there is a PC and an Internet connection is a kind of sweet bonus.