Pink Edition
Finally a Useful Online Backup Solution
Online backup has, so far, been a joke. Most online backup solutions either limit your space to a couple of gigabytes, and if you need more (like everyone does) it costs a gazillion dollars. But, now HP has released Upline.
Update July 7, 2008: Ovi has commented that Upline is "pretty bad" when it comes to actual use, and points you towards this review.
HP Upline is brilliant. You got loads of space. So much, in fact, that it is unlimited. It's cheap, at only $59 per year and it even allows you to access or share your files at will. This backup solution is close to perfect - and I am sure it would drastically change the market for how people backup and store files online.
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What is so special about online backup?
Affordable online backup is one of those things that should have been invented long ago. It is pretty much the only way to safeguard your data from all the things that can happen to it. There 7 different backup scenarios that a backup solution needs to solve (in order of frequency):
- "I didn't want to save that!!!"
The most frequent causes of data loss is when you accidently save on top of another file, or if you have made some changes that you didn't want to keep. I do not have any specific figures, but loss of prior revisions is a big problem. - "Oh crap - wrong button"
The second most frequent cause is when you accidently delete files or folders that you really wanted to keep. I did this just a week ago. I accidently deleted my entire iTunes library because I thought it was stored in a different location. And, I didn't (at the time) have a backup. - "I brought it with me - but..."
This is what people say when they have just forgotten their laptop on the train. People "lose" literally thousands of laptops every single year. In fact, a study form 2006 found that 81% of all US companies lost laptops in that year. - "Wrriiii-scrak-srack-dooong-ri-re-ri-re-ri-reeee-ri-re "
This is the sound your hard disk makes when it completely breaks down. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does you are in big trouble. Everything vanishes into digital thin air. - "Hey - come back here!!!"
Data theft, as when you laptop gets stolen in the airport, is also an issue. It actually happens very rarely. But again, when it does, your files are gone. - "Do you smell smoke?"
Fire is, of course, a very effective way to destroy all your data ...and your house. One of my friends experienced that his home-office went up into flames - and with it all the data he had + all his backups (on DVDs), because he kept them in the same room. - "Is that a tsunami? ... blop blop..."
And the final thing that can happen (but not very likely) is a natural disaster.
Online backup is really the only solution that covers all these scenarios. You know, backing up on DVD is not something you do every day, so that is already pretty pointless. Using Apple Time Machine or Windows Home Server is a bit better, but that still doesn't help if someone breaks into your house, or if it burns down. You need to backup all the time - and put the data away from where you are.
"Online" is the magic word.
HP's backup solution is not yet perfect, but it comes close. It's cheap. It can store all your files, and it is relatively easy to use but not as easy as Apple's Time Machine. It comes with a nifty set of features - mainly that you can access your files via a web interface, publish them to your blog or email them to other people. It also allows you to use the same program to backup on a local hard disk, or server on your network. All in all it is pretty good.
But, it doesn't (as far as I can tell) allow you to backup file revisions (scenario one). Nor does it currently back up your computer as a whole. It will not backup your emails, nor does it backup your system or any of your settings.
You cannot use it to completely restore a computer back to what it was. To me this is not as important, because I reinstall my computer regularly anyway. So I only need to backup my files. And, if you, like me, put all your emails in a file that the backup program can get to, then that is not really a problem either.
Online backup is finally ready for prime time.
(via HP Upline)
Comments
Thomas Baekdal - Apr. 15, 2008
Wow, That was a quick reply. The article have only been online a few minutes :)
Anyway. I guess that you are on a Mac? or perhaps Linux?
On a different note: I noticed a rather funny thing in the EULA:
You should always preserve your original content or make back-up copies of such content on your personal system, for example, using the HP Upline Local Backup product. You should not use the HP Upline service as the only repository for your content.
Do HP want me to backup the backup? :)
Trey - Apr. 15, 2008
How hard would it be for someone to hack into this and steal information? Not looking from a hacker standpoint, but more of a scared potential client.
Mike - Apr. 15, 2008
I have been using Mozy for quite some time, and I'm happy with it. Doesn't look like it does quite as much, but it runs pretty transparently and has that "just works" thing going for it.
Jenny - Apr. 15, 2008
On the subject of file backup, sharing and storage ...
Online backup is becoming common these days. It is estimated that 70-75% of all PC's will be connected to online backup services with in the next decade.
Thousands of online backup companies exist, from one guy operating in his apartment to fortune 500 companies.
Choosing the best online backup company will be very confusing and difficult. One website I find very helpful in making a decision to pick an online backup company is:
Have a look here, too:
http://www.backupreview.info/index.php?pid=read_article&;article_id=9
This site lists more than 400 online backup companies in its directory and ranks the top 25 on a monthly basis.
Alin Hanghiuc - Apr. 15, 2008
It would be close to perfect if it would offer a better access option, than a closed source win app, implementing likely a proprietary protocol. If they would offer access through a secure variant of FTP, for example, that would be close to perfect for me too. Then I could implement on my own file versioning and encryption.
I would rather have that than "unlimited" backup space.
Charlie Fiskeaux II - Apr. 16, 2008
I use Mozy here at work and at home, and I think it's the best thing on the market. Not only does it do unlimited space for a tad less $$ than HP Upline, it works on Mac and Windows, and is encrypted with 256-bit Blowfish encryption (with your own private key, if you wish), AND it does versioning. How's that for a feature list?
Thomas Baekdal - Apr. 16, 2008
Charlie, I wasn't aware that Mozy offered unlimited space. The last time I check, which I admit is some time ago, I remembered that there was a limit or an additional charge pr GB.
I just looked at their website. As far as I can tell, the price is $47/year + $0.50 per GB. Since I got 1.2TB of data now, and with more being added every day, the extra charge would be quite a bit.
I could be wrong though...
Thomas Baekdal - Apr. 18, 2008
On this page:
But, looking at it some more, I must admit I am a bit confused by the Mozy site. I guess that MozyHome is only $4.95/month.
I think they seriously need to redesign their information. After looking at it for the 20th time I finally think I understand that they have 3 plans:
- MozyHome Free - 2GB limit - cost: nothing
- MozyHome Unlimited - unlimited space - cost: $4.95/month (but only for personal use)
- MozyPro - unlimited space - cost: $3.95/month + $0.50/GB per month
Thomas Baekdal - Apr. 18, 2008
Ohhh... they also got an Enterprise plan, but with no mentions of a price (not that I need it)
Chloe Baby - Apr. 26, 2008
This is cool but 'unlimited storage space' ? When I backup my office server the resulting .tar.gz is 256gb, how many of those before unlimited suddenly became limited.. ?
Besides this i only have a connection speed of 1-2mb/sec so it would take a heck of a long time to upload.
Once speeds around the net get to gb/sec for everyone, we'll all probably be dealing with TB all time anyway..
john - May. 11, 2008
Yeah it's interesting !
GaetanDhont - May. 30, 2008
Hi Thomas...
You mention 1.2Tb of data...How much additional data are you generating per month and so how long does your backup run to catch up.
Online Backup (with or without unlimited capacity, free or with recurring fees) is nice but have at least one downside regardless of the services offer: Upload transfer time.
I'm unsure what kind of connectivity you have.
But here in Belgium, typical internet user has 4Mb download/256kbps upload transfer and so initial backup of 1.2Tb would take 477days of continuous backup. Restoring the entire set (according to your scenario 04,05,06,07) would take about 30 days with a Download speed of 4Mbps.
Calculated with http://tinyurl.com/5m5d8f
Backup strategy shall only backup file that you own like author=ed/purchased documents or multimedia files. Everything that you can download back from an external source shall not be part of your backup plan unless you consider them as valuable just like your own data.
I invite you to read an article I wrote that talks about backup for Home User. http://tinyurl.com/66banc
Thomas Baekdal - May. 30, 2008
Gaetan,
I do not know how much data I create per month - but I think it amount to more... I just checked the file size of my latest project (which is far from finished), and it is currently 4.8 GB of data. That is just a single project, and it is data for the last 9 days.
You do make a very good point about the upload speeds, I have 8mb down/512 up - so it will "only take" 238 days. That is not really a practical solution...
Ovi Demetrian Jr - Jul. 9, 2008
Regarding Upline specifically, I ended up signing up for it a few weeks ago and my experience has been pretty bad. Bad enough that I canceled my account the other day. It probably would've helped to read this review of it first:
Thomas Baekdal - Jul. 9, 2008
Ovi, Thansk for the tip. I must admit that Upline sounds good on paper. I am sorry to hear that it isn't so in actual use.
Jeton - Jul. 21, 2008
Sorry for digging this up now.
But have you tried box.net ? Apart from having a storage solution it also acts as a WebOS, by integrating services such as sending to gmail, twitter, editing photos, documents online.
On another note, I think Dropbox at getdropbox.com will be interesting to you.
For example if you delete a file on your Computer folder, when you log-in on the web interface, you can restore it from there to your folder.
Just check the video they have in the front page of their site.
P.S. You never cease to find beautiful things on the "tubes" :)
John Pash - Sep. 29, 2008
I've just installed Dropbox and think it's ok (still in beta), but not great. Although it is free. I just don't trust those guys. But I'm not sure why.
Marko Kalmus - Oct. 3, 2008
You better try CrashPlan at http://www.crashplan.com
Works on Linux and Mac too!
Published: Apr. 15, 2008 in Technology
Thomas Baekdal is a Writer, Interaction Designer, Change Advocate and Project Manager.
Daniel Aleksandersen - Apr. 15, 2008
I am tiered of awefull online storage/backup services myswlf, and was about to blindly follow your recommendation before I read “requires Windows 2000, XP, or Vista”. Too bad.