Topic: Review: Offsite Personal Backup - Mozy

[kermi3]

So I just realized that I've never actually reviewed Mozy on here...I feel bad about that because I tell anyone who will listen how much I love it.

I've been using it since 6/07 on 3 different computers (currently on 2), and I have it loaded on my mom's machine.

I love it.  I don't think about backups.  Happens automatically.  It encrypts my stuff locally and then uploads it to their server.  I have chosen to use their security key in case I one day lose my pw (don't know why), but you can also use your own key.  128 bit encryption etc...I've had a bit of trouble getting it to backup the right stuff initially because I use non-standard file systems.  Particuarlly had trouble because I didn't want it to backup podcasts and I had to get tell it in 2 different places (file tree and file type) to ignore that folder, but I think they've fixed that bug.  My mom also uses non-standard folders and didn't have her financial programs backed up at one point - but I think that's cause I set it up wrong...

Backups can be done online, and multiple versions of files are stored.  Web backups can take a few minutes to prepare, but download times are reasonable.  You can't upload from offsite, but you can download, so it works in a pinch if you forget a file at home.

At school I get upload times of over 1.5mps, about 500 kps here at home.

About $60/year - well worth it to me to know the stuff is backed up.  Theft, fire, flood - whatever - I have my docs, pictures, music etc.  If you don't have a solution like mozy or carbonite - I HIGHLY recommend it...it's largely thoughtless and for me it's a great sense of security...

[KnuckleBuckett]

I use Carbonite and have very similar experience.

I looked at the reviews for both, and just guessed at Carbonite.  I have been pleased with it.

$55/year unlimited storage.

[micah]

Carbonite is a heavy advertiser on Limbaugh's show, I've been thinking of giving them a try or something similar.

Can it back up shared network folders?  Like, my wife and I both have our own computer and save our pictures locally but I wouldn't want to pay for two accounts for backing things up. Could we save all our pics in a "shared" folder over a home network (using the basic windows home network) and have them included in the backup?

[KnuckleBuckett]

I ran into Carbonite via Leo Laporte's podcast.

[jkim]

I think it was Mozy that my pastor had, but he was complaining one day that he deleted stuff from his hard drive hoping the copy online would be stored.  He was very upset when he went online looking for some files only to find them missing, because the backup is only supposed to be a mirror of the drive. 

What he wanted was "something where you could just throw files up onto and lock up to keep them safe from everything forever."

One of my coworkers uses Carbonite, and he really likes it as far as I know.

[kermi3]

JKim - mozy keep stuff for a while (30 or 60 days I think), but not forever.  I've not had your pastor's problem except when I screwed up.

Micah - I've got my documents folder on one of the computers shared and it backs up just fine - I would just pick one machine to store everything on and then back that one up...

[Steve]

I avoid offsite backups simply because my main concern is my music collection, and right now its pushing 350GB. Take like...forever

[kermi3]

Initially - but once it's done you're golden...

[Steve]

maybe i will sign up and check it out this week. My only other concern is privacy. I'm considering this mostly because i have the two laptops and my external spends a lot of time rolling around my car.

[KnuckleBuckett]

I know some of the local businesses keep their financial backups using Carbonite.  That was why I finally decided to give it a try.  I am sure Mozy is at least as secure.

[kermi3]

You can encrypt either with their 128 bit encryption or use your own key - of course with your key if you lose the pw you're done.