Online Backup Solutions – The Lazy way to Backup your Important Files and Data

It doesn't get any easier to backup your important videos, pictures, and documents then using an online backup solution.

• They automatically upload your new and changed files
• They offer a simple desktop application to modify your backup set
• They use a secure connection and server to store all your data

There really isn't any major negative against using online backup solutions. So why are so few people using them?

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I don't think it's a fact that people aren't choosing to use an online backup solution in lieu of some other form of backup. I believe there just aren't enough people actually backing up their data.

If you're one of those people who aren't backing up your important files and folders you need to start, and you need to start today. I'm going to give you a brief overview of how online backup services work, and point you in the right direction.

After reading this article I suggest you choose one of the two services I'm going to recommend and setup a free trial account with them. You just never know when a computer disaster can strike.

Getting Started

This is about the most time intensive part aside from uploading all your files (but you don't have to be sitting at your computer while all your data transfers).

Start by visiting Carbonite.com and signing up for their free trial. This is a 14 day trial, where you can download their companion desktop application and start to backup files to their secure servers.

Signing up and downloading the software takes all of about 5 minutes. Once you've downloaded it install the software to get started.

There's several prompts you'll go through, one of which will be choosing what files to backup. Here you'll want to select the files that you want backed up. There are default settings, if everything you want backed up is in your My Documents folder then you're probably fine, how ever if not do some tweaking to what folders and files Carbonite will backup.

I suggest Carbonite because I use them personally and like their interface the best. The other  company you can try is Mozy Home backup. They also offer a free account, how ever for me I had more trouble uploading my files to their server then with Carbonite.

Starting the Backup

Once you've chosen what files to backup you can start your initial backup right then. This can take some time depending on how many files you are backing up. The good part is you don't have to sit there and watch it happen. The software will take care of it all.

Be prepared that the initial backup could take 4-24 hours or more depending on the size of your files.

A few more Great Features of Online Backup Solutions

Here are just a few more reasons why I prefer using an online backup solution to backup software and an external hard drive or other form of media.

• The data is stored off site
• the data is easily accessible from a simply desktop icon that connects me to the secure server where my backup is located
• When files are changed, or new files are added to a folder they are automatically backed up and uploaded to the secure sever
• the price is cheap

If you've made it all the way to the end of this article and haven't yet started a free trial with Carbonite then I suggest you get on that now.

Like I said you can never predict when a hardware or software failure could occur so be prepared and start backing things up today while you know everything is in good working order.