What is a good cloud storage service for backing up an entire computer reliably?
Thank you!
Do you really want to back up the "entire" computer, or just your data files? Trying to maintain entire backups of your OS and everything will take up lots more space and will take a lot longer to actually upload.
SkyDrive is arguably the best choice, given that it's integrated with Windows 8.
With the integration of SkyDrive into Windows, it's certainly compelling. However, it does lack feature wise against some of the others out there. For example, revision history is limited to office docs, you cannot selectively choose what gets synced and what doesn't, you cannot throttle your bandwidth during the sync, etc.
No such thing as 'good' cloud storage.
I'd stay the hell away from it.
Buy a new 2TB external drive, and backup there instead.
I did/do.
The cloud is NOT good. On several levels.
I really doubt you'll se many of us 'old-timers' using it.
Just because you don't like to use the cloud, doesn't make it bad. Let's say that you backup to your external 2TB drive. Let's further assume your house burns to the ground. uh-oh...sure hope you had another recent copy of your data stored offsite somewhere.
For those concerned about the security or privacy of their data in the cloud, use something like TrueCrypt or BoxCryptor to encrypt the contents of anything sensitive. It's arguably safer than just having your data stored in the clear on your local box. Let's say somebody breaks in and steals your computer. uh-oh...all of your data is available to the person who stole the computer.
For me personally, I don't do "full backups" or store "most" of my data in the cloud. The reason being, my internet is limited to 2Mbps on my upload speeds and I would be uploading FOOOORRRREEEEEVVVVEERRRRRRR if I attempted to push it all up. And for those on cable modems and such at home, you know that when you max out your upload traffic, your downloads go to absolute crap.
I utilize the cloud (in my case with Dropbox) to store files that both my wife and I need very easy access to. It makes it drop dead simple for her and I both to have access regardless of where we are. It also keeps multiple copies of these files in the event that something catastrophic were to happen to our computers. It's makes it simply to transfer files back and forth from work without having to carry around a USB key.
I use dropbox to share files with a few guys that I used to work with. We are all systems admins, we have leared some neat tips and tricks over the years, so I have an "IT Sharing" folder that these friends have access to. We each contribute our own material to the folder and it's shared among all of us. We each have local copies synced to our dropbox folders when we are stuck without internet, so our documentation is there when we need it. In the event a friend goes crazy and blanks out the file and saves it, we have revision history and deleted items recovery.
Obviously for sensitive material storage, use common sense. Don't store your usernames and passwords in a text file in the cloud. My wife and I share a KeePass database of usernames/passwords/logins for all types of stuff that we are registered to. Internet forums, banking information, sensitive job information.....all of the type of stuff that you might need in the terrible event that something tragic happened to your spouse. Obviously, protecting this information is of utmost importance. So, if a hacker were to try to gain access to my personal stuff they would have to
1). Hack into my dropbox account and gain access to my files
2). Crack the encryption of my TrueCrypt container to gain access to my KeePass database
3). Crack the encryption of my KeePass database to actually gain access to the sensitive information.
I personally feel that getting through #1, #2 and #3 above is far more unlikely than me dropping or losing a USB key that potentially contained my private information or data.
