Cloud-based file backup

RastaManBob

RastaManBob

RastaManBob

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2,254
Hello,

Following a recent loss of data (MicroSD card that was not backed up = loss of holiday photos!) I’ve learnt the hard way and I am currently looking for a cloud-based file backup solution. This must be able to backup all file types (not just images and video). Ideally it would be support sync and perhaps file history.

Can anybody recommend 'the' best cloud-base file backup solution? Ideally I'd like to spend as little as possible (given that I imagine this will turn into a cost for life!) but I appreciate that cheapest is not always better, especially when you're entrusting the service with the protection of your data!

At the moment my storage requirements are as low as 25GB but I'd ideally like 50GB+ which should build in future-proof for at least the next year (probably a few!). At this price Google Drive looks like a good shout but I hear DropBox (and even Box) mentioned a lot.

Any recommendations?

Thank you!
 
Crashplan user for several years, would highly recommend it or similar products, it's saved my bacon a few times even with a local backup too !
 
Thanks. Looking around I see there is a real difference between cloud storage and cloud backup options. I'm not quite sure at the moment exactly which I require (or would prefer) but it's all food for thought. Keep the suggestions coming! :)
 
Another vote for Crashplan here. Use it to back up everything to server on local network and also all important stuff to the cloud as well.
 
Just found MEGA.nz gives 50GB for free. That would be more than enough for me. Any experience with MEGA and any reason I should go for a paid service when 50GB will be sufficient for my use?
 
Use HUBIC.com myself for Cloud storage. 1 euro a month for 100gb or 50 euro for 10tb per year. All based in France so water tight privacy and it just uses a local directory, like others, to sync from.
 
Just remember that a 'sync my files to the cloud' service is categorically *not* a backup, especially if it does not include robust file versioning.

With a sync service, accidentally deleting or corrupting a local file may result in that overwriting the 'good' file on the cloud. Similar problem in case of ransomware which encrypts your files - you may find that the encrypted versions have already overwritten the copies held in the cloud.
 
I agree, you need to be sure what type of cloud storage you want.

Backup or just an area to store current versions.

For things you never want to loose (family photos) I would suggest a backup storage solution.
 
Hi,

I personally have an Office 365 subscription. As part of the subscription i get 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage space. I can save all my file to cloud and not worry about losing them. If you want to automatically upload the files to OneDrive, you do have an option to sync the folders to OneDrive. That way you don't have to worry about back up.

Hope it helps you.

Regards,
Edwin.
 
Thanks again for the replies - I understand the difference between sync (maintains a single copy of the files on the local drive and mirrors them in the cloud, enabling you to also have them available on other machines) and backup (maintains multiple revisions on the cloud, possible to access these on other machines via and app/browser but typically does not auto-sync between the two). I've found sync services with a free plan that would be sufficient (MEGA, 50GB). I've not found any backup services with a free plan with enough storage.

I've given some thought into which of these I'd really want and I think it's the backup option - My use case here is not really to grant my access to my files remotely (though it's a nice thing to have) but to have a backup in case of infection or data loss. This means MEGA is not going to be enough. The issue with most of the backup plans is that while data storage might well be unlimited the number of computers that can backup to them (and even the backup of multiple machines is not to the same folder so no sync ability) is limited. On first glance this is fine for me as although we have multiple computers only one of them really holds valuable data - The others are consumption devices. The issue, though, is that if I ever do create a file on another PC I need to remember to copy it to the 'main' backup PC for the files to be backed up in the cloud. Additionally, and more importantly, the data loss that's encouraging this backup was on a mobile phone - I don't regularly backup the files from the phone to a PC (or anywhere else for that matter)... If I had I would not have lost the data in the first place (the only storage that's failed was that in the phone!). As a result any cloud backup solution must have the ability to backup (not just access) mobile phone data (read: photographs).

One idea that I've had - but it seems a little clunky, though it does help to emphasise how sync and backup services complement rather than replace each other - is to have all devices (including phones) sync to the main computer via a cloud sync service such as MEGA (e.g., map MEGA to a folder named 'Camera Uploads' on the computer which is populated from the phone) and then have a single backup solution for that PC which includes that folder. Alternatively, a solution that offers both in one package...

In light of what I've described can anybody recommend a good package? It seems the likes of CrashPlan don't really help me - It'll backup the computer but I'd be the weak link in having to remember to transfer files from the mobile phone. They do not (as I can see) have an app to manage this in any way. The only solution I've seen that comes close is IDrive but I'm not sure how well this works as a backup solution. Data is limited to 1TB (still plenty given I only need 50GB) but holds the last ten file revisions rather than all. Maybe a good compromise, though?

Sorry for the lengthy post - I thought I'd asked a simple question yesterday but I really had no idea that my decision is entirely down to my entire backup approach. Hopefully my requirements are a little better defined now...
 
Thanks KIA. It looks like an incredibly good solution! I could use Dropbox (or MEGA - more storage on free account!) to sync mobile content (e.g., folder on computer 'Mobile uploads' within 'My Documents') and then run Arq to back up the entire My Documents (and probably Desktop) folder of the computer.

My only issue is that it takes a number of years to recover the investment costs of the Arq software. Additionally I'm not even sure that it ever becomes cheaper given that the likes of CrashPlan work out at 5 USD / month = ~3.50 GBP / month (and I could use the same backup strategy). Even discounting the cost of Arq I'm not sure that I can get a data plan with anybody for that 42 GBP / year that will match the unlimited offerings from the likes of CrashPlan. Dropbox, for example, free plan is unsuitable and the next plan would be 7.99 GBP / month for 1 TB. Am I missing something here? Do you recommend Arq because it's a good solution or because it's possible to out price the existing commercial solutions? If so can you recommend an Arq supported storage plan that works out at a reasonable price for (initially) 50 GB of storage?

Thanks!
 
Please avoid using MEGA if you plan on using it to store important media and documents. I don't know how long it'll last if Kim Dotcom is extradited to the US. You can't go wrong with Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive.

I'm a fan of Arq because it allows me to pick the backup destination. US-based providers such as Crashplan and Backblaze never max out my connection's upstream. Your mileage may vary, and you should test out the trial version before you pony up.

Google Drive's 100GB plan is 2 USD per month. Good value if your bank doesn't charge an international transaction fee.
 
Thanks again, KIA.

I will definitely avoid MEGA on your recommendation - As the sync service will only be used as a method of automatically getting data from phone to computer it actually does not need to be a huge amount of storage. Originally MEGA's 50GB was a differentiator and would be necessary given I was planning as using it as *the* backup source but now that I understand I want to use a more complete backup solution I don't need a sync with such large storage. Phew!

So after *lots* of time searching it seems that I can either buy an 'all in one' solution which *backs up* (not just sync) computer and mobiles. One of the mobiles is Windows Mobile and with this in mind the only solution I've found is IDrive. That's 5 USD / month. No other 'all in one' solutions work across all of the devices necessary.

The other solution is to use *any* backup plan and use a sync service to get the data from mobile to the (single) backup PC. This approach allows me to get a cheaper 'single PC' license rather than the multi-license required for the 'all in one solution'. I'll be fine to use a free sync service and there are many backup solutions all around 5 USD / month - CrashPlan being the most obvious.

It seems either approach will cost the same so I just have to (somehow) manage to decide between the options.

Add in the third option of using Arq - That's (per your post) 2 USD / month. The application costs 40 USD (though I'd probably opt for lifetime updates making it 70 USD but let's ignore that for now...). That means this option breakeven against one of the two 5 USD suggestions above after 2 years. Every month from then on I'm saving - APART from the fact I've *only* got 100 GB for the 2 USD Google Drive plan rather than unlimited for one of the previous options. While at the moment I'm only using 25 GB clearly this will soon go up given the file versioning options (meaning I'll soon be storing multiple versions of documents, etc). With Google Drive if I ever needed more than the 100 GB I'd have to jump to the next storage level of 1 TB at 10 USD... At which point I'm definitely better off going with one of the commercial solutions. In summary, it seems I'm better off with Arq while my requirements remain low but it switches to being better to use IDrive/CrashPlan once storage requirements exceed 100 GB.

Geez - None of these seem like the 'clear cut' approach! There's no wonder I've always given up making a decision in the past...

Google Cloud Nearline looks like a good option with storage at 0.01 USD / GB / month chargeable for only what is actually used so it scales nicely as requirements increase (rather than having to jump to the next discrete plan). However, with that retrieval and network fees apply so the price is a lot more complicated to predict.

EDIT: What do you make of Duplicati rather than Arq? That'd save the one-off Arq purchase but it does not seem to have as many recommendations online...
 
Caged said:
I use Backblaze because the CrashPlan UI is/was awful.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice.

Spent *lots* of time looking now (too long!). I've got it down to a few options - Will eventually decide on one of these!

(No particular order).

1.
IDrive
(It includes mobile backup, so separate sync no required)
Total: ~3.50 GBP / mo

2.
CrashPlan
Free dropbox (or alternative) for mobile backup sync
Total: ~3.50 GBP / mo

3.
Arq
Storage (probably Google Drive or Google Cloud Nearline)
Total: ~30.00 GBP one-off + 1.40 GBP / mo
[NB, might be possible to lose the one-off if Duplicati can replace Arq]

4.
zovo
Free dropbox (or alternative) for mobile backup sync
Total: ~1.67 GBP / mo

zovo looks like the obvious choice but it's a Livedrive reseller. Livedrive don't seem to get hugely favourable reviews, though for the saving perhaps I can put up with any limitations. TBD.
 
If you have Amazon Prime you unlimited Photo cloud storage in with the plan.
For £79 you get the video streaming service, music streaming service, unlimited photo storage and obviously Prime delivery.

Honestly for the equivalent of £6.50 per month nothing comes close.
 
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