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Any task that is perceived to be boring or ordinary causes one to avoid doing it – and this applies to backing up the content of hard drives. The problem stems from putting this off until an emergency occurs, when the damage is done. In the past, the process of backing up data included software that was installed and ran on the computer to be backed up as well as an external storage device (tape drives, CDs, additional external hard drive, etc.)

When you’re looking for some kind of answer to your backup needs, today’s rapid Net connections and more reasonably priced hard drive space make online backup a feasible alternative. Therefore there are many services these days which give you added space and disaster recovery protection as well. They generally do not make you buy any external storage devices. You simply make your regular payments to them as you do with your internet service provider.

Another great advantage is the client’s software footprint is less taxing on one’s computer than a typical backup program. The disadvantage on the other hand is that the speed of the backup process is according to bandwidth, which may mean a more time consuming process compared to backups completed on external physical media. The online process may also be interrupted by a failed internet connection.

Many of the services offered allow free trials; fees are approximately five dollars per month for a normal subscription, all the way up to hundreds of dollars per year for enterprise subscriptions. At the moment, storage space availability starts at one gigabyte on up to unlimited space. Compared to external media, the user has the option of purchasing much more storage space as they need it.

Some services are tailored to the Windows operating system while others are more toward the Macintosh operating system. One can then expect the entire data restoration process to be much easier from certain services than others. Also, many online backup services have options for additional functionality such as photo sharing through online slideshows, file sharing, data encryption during uploading and downloading as well as the data storage itself.

Data back-up routines are a necessity when it comes to internal hard drives. Due to the failure rates you should apply a functional back-up routine regardless of the service provider. To prevent stolen data and compromising your hard drive a back-up can be critical in the event of an emergency.

If you’re in the market for a backup solution, consider using broadband internet connections and affordable hard drive space to meet your backup needs. Many online backup services offer plenty of additional space including disaster recovery. The disadvantage on the other hand is that the speed of the backup process is according to bandwidth, which may mean a more time consuming process compared to backups completed on external media. As such, one can expect the restoration of their data to be a smoother process from certain services than others. Many of the backup software services also include functionalities such as photo sharing, file sharing, and data encryption.

- Dan Miller