You thought backing up your files to an external hard drive was enough. But what if there was a fire or a theft? Your iTunes library, digital photos, videos and important documents would be gone forever. If you had backed up your files online, they would have been unscathed by disaster and you would be able to recover them with the click of a button.
There are a variety of services that charge a nominal fee for secure online file backups. For around $5 per month, you get the peace of mind knowing that all your files are safe and retrievable at any time. Since some services charge based on the amount of data you are backing up, only back up files that you can't afford to lose to keep your costs at a reasonable level.
You'll need to register and download some software that will allow you to select your files, schedule back up times and monitor the backup process. It is typically best to set the online backup to run at a time when you are unlikely to be using your computer, since it can slow down your Internet connection. A typical upload rate using a broadband Internet connection is about 1 GB per hour. That works out to be about 645 photos from a 7 megapixel digital camera per hour.
Always Keep Three Copies
Online file backup shouldn't replace your existing backup strategy, it should supplement it. Always keeping three backups outside of your computer will ensure you don't lose your data. A common combination would be an external hard drive, a USB flash drive (kept somewhere apart from your external hard drive) and online backup. There is software you can run to automate the backup between devices so you can just set it and forget it.
Don't Forget Important Documents
Photos and music are great, but don't forget about keeping electronic copies of important documents, like a scan of your passport, the deed to your house or insurance information. Being able to access these documents in a pinch could be a life saver. These critical documents can be accessed right away and from anywhere in the world that you can get to the Internet.
Risks
There are a couple risks to be aware of when using an online backup service:
Think about all the memories in the digital photos and videos you've taken, and all the money you've spent building your music collection. Those things could all be erased if you don't take the proper steps to backing up your files online.
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