Summary: Backing up data using an online backup service is lucrative, and can be an important part of an overall strategy - within limits.
I routinely back up everything to an external hard drive but instead of using DVD's as a secondary backup, I use a program called Dropbox. It allows 2Gb of storage for free and for a fee, you can get more storage. Since the storage is in cyberspace, I sometimes wonder if someone could access the files I have stored there. Do you have an opinion on it? I don't store anything there with private personal data just in case.
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I've written some about free online backup services before, but I want to take this question and look at the entire concept of online backups.
Online backup services can be a useful component of a broader backup strategy. But from security to completeness to speed and cost, there are a number of factors to consider before deciding if online backup is the right thing to do.
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"Moving to the cloud" is a popular buzz phrase these days, and online backup is one of the poster children for the concept. In a nutshell, the idea is that with ubiquitous connectivity why not store important data out on the internet, in "the cloud" as some people call it?
By using services and servers provided by third parties on the internet, you can keep all your email online (nothing new here, Hotmail and others have been around for years), your documents online (Google docs, for example), and more. The advantage is that all you usually need is a computer and a browser and not only can you access your documents from just about anywhere, but you're also less concerned about your own system crashes and the software installed on your machine.
So if "the cloud" is such a good place for your data (a debatable subject for another day), why not for the backups of your data that you do keep on your machine?
Why not online backups?
It's definitely an option, if used properly, so here are some things to consider:
It's not practical to backup everything online. If you do the math, for most people it would take days if not weeks to upload a complete copy of everything on their machine, simply because of the limited upload speed of their internet connection. This means that you likely won't be backing up your operating system, your settings or anything but your data.
In fact that's what most online backup services do by default: backup your data, not your system. And even then you may have to be careful to ensure that they're backing up everything you think they are. For example, if you keep data outside of My Documents, you may have to take extra steps to tell the service to back that up as well.
The implication is simple: if you have a major system failure and lose everything, your online backup won't help restore your machine. It'll only restore your data after you've rebuilt your machine and reinstalled the operating system and applications.
That might be a valid choice, but it's a choice you need to be aware of.
You must be online. This might sound obvious, but in many cases it's not.
Here's a troubling scenario: you've taken a number of pictures with your camera, and loaded them onto your computer, in some folder that your online backup service will backup. Say you've taken 100 megabytes of photos (not difficult with today's high resolution cameras), at a 256kb upload speed (yours may vary and be slower or faster), it will take a minimum of an hour to upload and backup those photos. And that's if you're doing nothing else on your connection.
If you turn your computer off - perhaps at the end of the day - and those photos have not yet completed uploading, those that haven't yet made it aren't backed up. They may automatically resume uploading when the machine it next turned on, but until then if anything happens to that machine or hard disk, you risk losing them.
This is a particularly common scenario when traveling where connectivity it limited and slow. It's easy, particularly with photos, to accumulate data faster than it can be backed up.
It's in the cloud. I know, that too is kinda the point, right? Accessible from anywhere? By any computer?
The risk is the same risk you run when using any online service: if someone steals your account information, they have access to your information. If you've been backing things up online and somehow your account is compromised, the attacker could have access to everything.
The good news here is that this is something that's in your control, and goes back to the basics of online account management and safety: use good, strong passwords, don't write them down, don't share with people you don't absolutely trust, stay safe in open WiFi hotspots, avoid malware and so on. The steps are relatively easy, but the cost of failure is fairly high.
The other concern many people express is the security of their data even after maintaining the security of their account. There's good news here as well. As long as you stick with reputable online services (DropBox, Mozy, JungleDisk, Carbonite to name just a few) the technology used typically encrypts your backups in such a way that no one but you can actually see it. (Often not even in an emergency, I might add, so don't lose that password! 
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So, is it a good idea?
All I can say is "maybe". Certainly it's very lucrative to know that if your computer, or even your home, were to go up in flames that your important data would be safe and secure out there somewhere. In fact, that's exactly why a type of remote online backup is a part of my own backup strategy.
But it's only a part. I use it as a safety net in part of a larger strategy that includes nightly backups at home, and some carefully thought out backup strategies when I travel like carrying a USB thumb drive or disk.
I'd be very hesitant to use only an online backup service, but as a component of a larger picture, it can easily make sense.
And, to quote one of my earlier articles, "the best backup strategy is whatever you'll actually use" - so if online is the one that you'll actually use - use it.
Related:
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Are free online backup services worth it? There's a new class of online storage available for free that can be used for remote backups. Should you use them? As part of a larger strategy, maybe.
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Can I do my backups over the internet? Backing up to a service or server across the internet can be a useful part of a larger backup strategy, but the technique does have important limits.
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What backup program should I use? Backing up your computer's data is critical. What program should you use? There are many, but the best is which ever one you actually will use.
Article C3818 - July 25, 2009
I 've been using dropbox for a long time and so far I'm pretty satisfied. Here's a link: [link removed]
Posted by: Mark Jacobs at July 26, 2009 12:32 AMI don't really use Dropbox for online backup as much as I use it for convenient online storage. The idea is that I can avoid carrying my USB stick around all the time, and just save those web order confirmations (using PDFCreator) to my Dropbox folder from work, and when I get home, I have instant access to the file. Dropbox is like my cloud-based universal USB thumb drive, it works on Macs, Windows, and Linux. I save files to my Dropbox all the time.
Also, I use TrueCrypt to create an encrypted volume to hold my most sensitive information, then I store that file on Dropbox. When I mount that file to a drive letter in TrueCrypt, I mount it from the Dropbox location.
I also will soon be using KeePass and will store those files in my Dropbox as well.
I'm also thinking about trying to move my Firefox profile to my Dropbox folder. Then, for all machines I access that have Dropbox and Firefox installed, I should instantly have all my extensions and bookmarks.
The magazine MaximumPC had a recent article suggesting creative and useful combinations of Dropbox and other tools.
Posted by: DT at July 28, 2009 8:51 AMAfter an unfortunate experience resulting in lost of all my data, at the suggestion of my attorney son, I began using the same service that he uses for his client data. That is: backup.com. To date, I have not had to test the results but I follow his recommendation as he has had positive results. Thank you for your services to all of us. Deacon Ray
Posted by: Deacon Ray W Allor at July 28, 2009 11:05 AMBacking up to any remote (online) location seems extremely unwise from a security standpoint. Leo, you mention turning a computer off, I always was led to believe that this was unwise?
29-Jul-2009
Posted by: Buffet at July 28, 2009 11:25 AM
I use Crashplan with good success. You can use it for free if you don't subscribe to their online storage facility.
Posted by: JustInspired at July 28, 2009 3:36 PMYou can backup to another remote location (e.g. family or friends computer) and this data is encrypted. Also nice is the fact that you can 'seed' your backup by taking it all to the remote location (e.g. on a USB drive), copy it to the designated backup folder then go back home and continue backing up changed and added files only.
Saves a lot of time and bandwidth on that initial backup.
I use Mozy and works perfectly.
Posted by: Freddy at July 29, 2009 8:32 AMThey have developed a web-based application called DECHO (still in Beta) that provides you with a web site where you can access all your data in a better organized way (photos, music, etc), even from your cell phone. I'm still testing it and so far so good.
I've only recently started backing up my files, but I've been using Mozy and Acronis in tandem for about a month and loved both so far.
I just wanted to chime in and suggest using both a physical and online backup service. Backing up to physical media (an external hard drive, DVDs, etc.) does you no good if you are the victim of a housefire, flood, or theft...unless you diligently put your backups in a fireproof safe every night.
I use Mozy to backup my absolutely critical data, but the non-essential stuff (like mp3s) I only back up to an external hard drive. I figure if I have a housefire, then losing my mp3 collection will be the least of my worries. :)
Posted by: Mike at August 12, 2009 7:54 AMI use Carbonite for online backup combined with fireproof waterproof external disk drives for local backup.
Posted by: MarthaR4 at August 25, 2009 1:49 PMThe internet "Cloud" has been around a long time. Internal corporate network "Clouds" also. Is just the Software developers have found a way to capitalize on this aspect, but in doing so have created a redundancy monster! You have a backup strategy, then you use online backup, who also uses online backup, who also uses online backup, etc., etc. Soon we will end up hosting someone's online backup that may be our own data. Makes my head spin.
Posted by: Ken Amirault at October 6, 2009 12:06 PM