Click here To Visit UpdateStar Now

UpdateStar Online Backup Pricing/Plans/Coupons

They offer several levels of service, they have Home use, Home office and Corporate, and Server licenses. Here’s a rundown of each of the services and costs:

• The Home User account: For $5.95 p/mo, or $59.95 annually. This package includes the client, unlimited storage, 1 PC, and has a “Home User” profile.
• The Business account: Costs $14.10 p/mo, or $169 annually. This one gives you 1 computer per license, (optional additional licenses are available,) and a “Business User” profile.
• The Server accounts: $42 p/mo, or starts at $999 annually. Storage amount starts at 100 GB, 1 server per license, and this will carry a “Business Users” profile.

Server accounts can obtain additional storage, and additional discounts. Check their website for additional details. You can purchase your account via phone, or online. They accept virtually every form of credit and debit cards, and Paypal. Once you have paid for the service they will send you a license key in your email.

UpdateStar Online Backup Client Details/Top Features

There are so many features to this client, we cannot list them all. As per norm, we will list the most important, and best features and functions.

• Hybrid Protection: The client encrypts your data using 256 bit Rijndael encryption before it ever leaves your location. Then 128 bit, (the same as financial institutions use,) encryption us used during the transfer. Finally, it will be stored on their servers in the encrypted form, and secured by your password.
• Unlimited storage. Unless you are backing up a server.
• Data centers are mirrored, both hardware wise and software.
• Incremental backups, and versioning supported for up to 30 days.
• Transferable licenses, to move the backup to your new machine.
• Scheduling. Just “Set-it-and-forget-it.”

UpdateStar Online Backup Product Installation

UpdateStar presently only runs on Windows XP or newer, Server 2008 R2, Server 2008, and 2003. There are versions for both 32 and 64 bit flavors, but you are going to need a minimum of 512 MB RAM, and a PIII. Downloading is easy and quick. The link was easy to find, just make sure to select the correct version, and the download was only 8.3 MB. It comes in an installer package that will automatically take care of every single detail when you double click on it then agree to the license.

UpdateStar Online Backup Backup Process Overview

The client’s default backup set are the most common files that people would want backed up. So if you don’t want a long backup process, or there are files you don’t want backed up, you will be able to deselect them using the Settings tab. You will also be able to set the days and hours of the backups, and uploading.

UpdateStar Online Backup Restore Process Overview

From the client you will be able to either restore an entire backup, or you can select individual files to be restored from your latest backup. If you would like to restore an older version, this can be done by selecting to select individual files. You will be able to tell the client where you want the files you are restoring, by default though, the client will download them to the desktop.

UpdateStar Online Backup Privacy/Data Protection

From the first moment you sign up for an account with UpdateStar you can feel secure. They will send you a private key in your email that insure no access to your files will happen, then before your data leaves your PC, it will be encrypted with 256 bit encryption. Transfers are done using 128 bit encrypted tunneling, and the files are stored on the server in their original encrypted form. The data centers are secured by both physical and electronic surveillance. Redundant servers insure against hardware failure and network failure.

UpdateStar Online Backup Support Options

They have email and FAQ’s available. If you are a free or evaluation user, they have a special email, and there is also a Windows 7 section to the FAQ. You will also have the option of making your issue a Support Team priority with Premium Support, an option we didn’t try. Datasheets are available for those that can use them, and there are good troubleshooting guides in them. They are PDF downloads.

UpdateStar Online Backup Common Problems

According to their website, the top three support questions were:

• I can’t find my product license.
• Why does the first online backup take so long?
• I updated a software product, and the product keeps showing out of date. Why?

Answers to these questions can be found in their support section, and their solutions are easy to follow instructions. Using the datasheet troubleshooting guide, most every question can be handled.

UpdateStar Online Backup vs. The Competition

The Online Backup 3 software was nice looking, as nice as many of the high end services. And the Client worked well for us on our XP/SP3 test machine, using few resources, and operating in the background. It didn’t interfere with our normal daily surfing habits, though the initial backup set could take a long time to upload. Other services charge more for far fewer features, but in the long run they can hold a candle to the likes of Carbonite.

UpdateStar Online Backup Company Information

The company UpdateStar has several software offerings, ranging from parsers, to Windows cleanup, to their Online Backup 3. Their main vice seems to be backing up though. They are headquartered in Berlin, with servers being in several worldwide locations. They keep their software up-to-date, and issue updates often to help maintain the security of their customers.

Our Conclusion On UpdateStar Online Backup

We were impressed with the looks of the client. WE would have liked to see more configuration options, such as speed limits on the uploading, but felt that the scheduler would suffice to keep the upload and backup processes out of our way. If you are looking for online backup , compare these guys to some of the others, and let your own needs guide you. They do have the free trial, so there won’t any losses.

Click here To Visit Acronis True Image Online Now

Acronis True Image Online Pricing / Plans / Coupons

They have 2 types of accounts for your use, a Home/Home Office, and a Business account. The Home account is a little limited, but the business account has 3 options. Here’s how the accounts work:

• Home/Home Office – $4.95 monthly, or $49.50 annually. You will get the Acronis True Image Online software, and 250 GB storage. 5 computers can work off from this single account.
• Business “Workstation” – $49.99 yearly. This will give you 250 GB of storage, all the Business account privileges.
• Business “Server” – $499.99 annually. You will have access to 1 TB of storage, and the Business account privileges.
• Business “Virtual Machines” – $1.199 annually, and you will have access to 1 TB of storage, and all the Business account features.

For their Business account holders there are a few additional features:

• Large scale recovery and seeding services, via a shipped USB HDD.
• Bare metal restore.
• Agentless backup – If you are using VMWares integrated backup.

Acronis True Image Online Free Trial

They do have a free trial so you can test drive their services and software. They will give you 250 GB of storage for 30 days. You will be afforded all the access, features, and functions without any limitations, or credit card needed. After registering you will receive a confirmation email, that will take you to a page where you will need to activate your free account. Be careful here, it can be confusing.

Acronis True Image Online Client Details / Top Features

• Multiple PC’s supported.
• Security assured using 256 bit encryption during transfer.
• Incremental backups to reduce the bandwidth used.
• Versions of old files are kept for up to 45 days.
• CPU and bandwidth limiters integrated.
• Scheduling is supported.
• Access to files can be via web interface or through the client.
• Integrates extremely well with other Acronis software products.

Acronis True Image Online Product Installation

Windows PC’s are the only types supported at this time. The download was rather large for this type of software, 35.4 MB, but after downloading a simple click will have the client installed quickly. Once the installation is finished, you will have to start the program, (no auto-start from the Install Wizard,) and set up your preferences, like which files to back up, (default set is only your “My Documents” folder,) speed, and amount of CPU attention the backups are getting. If you have any other Acronis products like their True Image software, now is the time to set these up to interact with your True Image Online client.

Acronis True Image Online Backup Process Overview

In the beginning you will be able to start the backup upload immediately, this could take a while depending on the size of the files you are uploading, and the limitations you place on the CPU and bandwidth. After the initial backup, updating is done incrementally, meaning only the files that have changed since the last backup will be uploaded to their server. If a file is backed up with the wrong information, or is corrupted, they maintain older versions of the file for up to 45 days for you to retrieve.

Acronis True Image Online Restore Process Overview

Restoring is a fairly easy affair. Possible through their web interface or through their client. In the client you simply select on the Restore tab, then choose the files you need, then choose the place you want the client to download them to. From the internet the restoration process is just as easy, the files will come as a Zipped archive though. It is notable though, that files downloaded through the client will not be able to be downloaded to the exact location they came from…handy in some cases, not so handy in others.

Acronis True Image Online Sharing Capabilities

Acronis has left the sharing, syncing, photo galleries and albums, and collaborative functions out of this service. The only sharing you can do is the account can support up to 5 computers.

Acronis True Image Online Privacy / Data Protection

Encryption is provided for in the client, but you will have to look for it. After logging in, you will see a link saying “Use Encryption for Enhanced Protection.” When you click on this you will be asked for a key and to name the computer. Once this is done, encryption will be enabled. Unlike other clients that have encryption enabled from the beginning, Acronis makes this a little confusing for the average user. Once encryption is activated though, your files will be encrypted before they leave your location, uploaded using 256 bit tunneling, and stored on their servers in their original encrypted form.

Acronis True Image Online Support Options

With Acronis the support options almost never end. They have an extensive Knowledge base, documentation, user forums, and a customer handbook. Paying customers also have the option of email, live chat and phone support, though the phone support comes at a cost of $9.95. (Though we suspect that if a Free Account holder called, and paid the $9.95…)

Acronis True Image Online Common Problems

Looking in their forums, there weren’t many problems that seemed to be recurring on a frequent basis. Another commendable thing is that there were very few questions that didn’t already have replies, and when we looked at these close, we found them to be fairly new questions. From the forums there are also additional FAQ’s and other tutorials to be found also.

Acronis True Image Online vs. The Competition

When compared to iDrive, Mozy, Backblaze, and other of the larger offerings, Acronis True Image Online offers one of the better trial offers, and the prices are very competitive. Features in Acronis leave a little to be desired when it comes to sharing, and collaboration with others though. And some of the other guys will allow photo galleries and albums. For storage, the prices are competitive, though if you have a lot of stuff to backup, you may want a service with unlimited plans available.

Acronis True Image Online Company Information

Acronis is one of the oldest companies that specialized in computer backup, so where this is concerned, they have it down. Their award winning Acronis True Image backup solution has been lauded worldwide and even used by some governmental agencies.

Our Conclusion On Acronis True Image Online

A great reputation doesn’t always make for a great new offering…but in this case this isn’t totally true. For a simple backup solution for the average Home or small office solution, this could be the thing you need. But if syncing, file sharing, photo galleries, and other features are the thing you will be needing then look elsewhere.

Click here To Visit Spideroak Online Backup Now

SpiderOak Online Storage Pricing/Plans/Coupons

SpiderOak only charges for the storage, you are allowed to install the client on as many devices or computers as you would like. They are willing to start you out with 2 GB for free, but that’s not much, so here’s how their pricing plans work:

• 2 GB Free: Lifetime, allows all features.
• Plus Account: 100 GB additional for $10, all features and functions allowed.

With these guys, everyone gets the same great service, whether you have a free 2 GB account or are paying for 2 TB. Every one of their customers enjoy the full functions of the client too.

SpiderOak Online Storage Free Trial

We weren’t sure if this qualifies as a free trial, as the 2 GB account is lifetime. Signing up for the account is easy, and no credit card, or other financial information, is needed for this part. Adding the extra GB’s of storage to your account is a small matter, too.

Spideroak Online Storage Client Details/Top Features

Although there isn’t a default set of files that is installed with the client, there are a lot of features, and if a person has a little savvy with the google search, a good list of files that are best to be backed up can be developed for the user. Here’s the best features, but not all:

• Will work on virtually any PC, Mac, and even mobile devices.
• Unlimited number of computers and devices.
• Supports not only backup, but also syncing, and sharing.
• Deleted files, and versions available easily from client.
• De-duplicates file uploads. Saves time by removing duplicates, and makes notes of where the copies should be.
• Incrementally backs up files after the initial backup upload.
• Zero-Knowledge policy. They don’t know, or care to know, what you are storing.
• Access via internet available.

Spideroak Online Storage Product Installation

Signing up for an account for the first time is easy, and you will be sent an email for confirmation, so use your real email, and check the spam folder if you don’t get it within the first 5 minutes. The download was a little larger than what we have seen with other clients, 17.4 MB, and we were asked to input our username and the activation code that was sent to us in our email. Once we entered this we were on our way.

Spideroak Online Storage Backup Process Overview

Since the client doesn’t come with a default set of files pre-selected, this client can be a bit of a challenge for the average “Zero-Knowledge” user. If you can’t see the files you want backed up, the client has a switch in it that will allow the showing of hidden files and folders. There are 2 things you should keep in mind here though:

• Your limited storage space. Some of your files can be fairly large, and space will be filled up quickly.
• Initial backup upload time. The more you select to backup, the longer it will take the client to upload your initial backup.

One final thing that must be taken into account is the syncing function. With this, if 2 computers have the same document opened, when the file is saved, 1 computer will back up the entire document, while the other computer will only update the final product from the first computer.

Spideroak Online Storage Restore Process Overview

You can access all your files stored with Spideroak through their client, from the “View” tab, or you have the option of accessing your files through a web browser on the internet. Simply click on the file you want to select it, then click the download button. The download will be placed in your “Downloads” folder.

Spideroak Online Storage Sharing Capabilities

Syncing and sharing is easy using the client. There is a “Share Room” or a password protected area to keep your files that you want to share. If synced files are changes, even those in the “Share Room,” they will be updated almost immediately for the other computers that are in the network. If the synced files happen to be kept in the Share Room, then the people that have access to the Room, if they are subscribed to the room’s feed.

Spideroak Online Storage Privacy/Data Protection

Spideroak keeps yur data safe in every possible way. Before the data even leaves your machine, it is encrypted and the key is kept only on your machines. Then during transfer they use 128 bit encrypted tunneling, and then again, it is stored on their server in it’s original encrypted form. Their teams have no access to your private data, or accounts. Their Zero-Knowledge policy is taken very seriously.

Spideroak Online Storage Support Options

Support come via a fairly large FAQ, forum, and email. You can access their forum from the internet through your web browser, or alternatively use the client and select “User Forums” from the Help menu. Email seemed a little slow, 3 hours on a simple installation question, but they did answer,and followed the incident up with a verification that the issue had been resolved.

Spideroak Online Storage Common Problems

The single largest complaint we observed in their forums, and elsewhere, was that the program was a resource hog. Our observation on this has been that while it is a resource hog during the initial inspection of your files, after the program has the data it needs, it becomes much more firendly to the memory and CPU resources. One other issue we observed was that the support department is a little slow.

Spideroak Online Storage vs. The Competition

For free, this is one of the few that offer this much storage space. But when paying for the additional storage space, there are others that offer a lot more for less. The client is a little rough around the edges as far as appearance goes, but with other better looking clients you will lose the ability to share, or sync.

Our Conclusion On Spideroak Online Storage

For their free service we commend them…but the prices they are charging per 100 GB is a little higher than others offer. We do like the fact that we could share and sync our files. Something that is important to businesses that are spread out. There are better services, but for the freebie we suggest you give them a try, it’s a simple matter to add additional space.

Click here To Visit Norton Online Backup Now

Norton Online Backup Pricing/Plans/Coupons

Their pricing plan is expensive, when compared to the other backup services, but they do have a free trial for you to make sure that this is the service for you. Here’s the pricing tiers:

• 25 GB Storage, software, all the bells and whistles, $49.99.
• Additional storage comes in increments of 10 GB, 25 GB, 50 GB, and 100 GB. The 75 GB add on is $99.99.
• Up to 5 computers are allowed to use the single account.
• As with many internet and computer based companies, most every form of plastic is accepted, as is Paypal.

Norton Online Backup Free Trial

They do offer a free trial of 30 days and 5 GB, but from their website it is a little hard to find. From the main page of the Norton Online Backup, hover over the “Downloads” tab at the top, and then select “Trialware – Norton Online Backup 5 GB.” You will then be taken to a page where you can sign up for the free service…and no credit card or other financial information is needed, until you decide to purchase.

Norton Online Backup Client Details/Top Features

Supported platforms are: Windows XP SP/2 or newer, Mac OSX 10.5 and newer, both 32 and 64 bit systems are supported for these platforms. For web access, you will need I.E. 6.0 or better, Firefox 2.0 or better, or Safari 3.0 or better. Here’s a few more details about their offering:

• Automated backups, with scheduling supported.
• Mac and Windows PC’s are supported along with web access from mobile devices.
• File transfers from one computer to another, even on different platforms.
• Incremental backups, and versioning for up to 90 days.
• Web access for backing and restoring processes.
• Secured file transfers, and storage.
• Open file backing supported, a rare feature for backup services.
• Compression available for the bigger files.

Norton Online Backup Product Installation

After signing up for your free trial account, you will be given a rather small download, (5.3 MB,) and once the installation is completed you will get a log in screen. Once you are logged in you will be able to select, or deselect which files you want to be backed up. The default set of files that are pre-selected for your convenience include: Office Documents, Financial Files, Pictures, Music, and Contacts. These seem to be the most commonly selected files picked by users. From the main screen you can select the machine you are working with, then you will be able to select the individual files to store using the “what,” “When,” and “Other” tabs.

Norton Online Backup Backup Process Overview

After you select and deselect the files to be backed up, the client will scan your computer for specific file types, for example, MS Money files have the extension of .mny,or the Open Office extension of .sxw. This could be one of the main reasons that Norton doesn’t run on the Linux platform, the .tar extension is also used by the TurboTax suite. You will be able to set up scheduling, to keep from interfering with your internet activities, and bandwidth speeds, tho also help with this.

Norton Online Backup Restore Process Overview

The Norton Online restore process is almost as painless as the backup process is…and you will be able to do it from either your web browser, or the client. From the user interface, you can select the individual files, or even opt to restore all of the backup. You will also be able to pick where you want them downloaded to, if the restored files folder isn’t exactly where you would like it. And, you can take this function to your local network and store the files on one of the computers you have in your account. Your archives will be readily available here, too. Up to 90 days of them, if you need to go back that far.

Norton Online Backup Sharing Capabilities

Sharing happens through a link that is sent to the person you are sharing your files with. When creating the sharing link you will be asked about creating an access password for the files, we suggest you do this, for extra added security. You will be able to access your files from mobile devices, and schedule backups for your machines in your account, manage files, and share them too.

Norton Online Backup Privacy/Data Protection

With one of the world leaders in electronic and computer security leading this venture, we expected the security to be quite well taken care of, and they did. Not quite as thoroughly as others, but 128 bit SSL is used for file transfers, both uploading and downloading, and once your files are in their server they will be encrypted using 256 bit AES encryption. Their server farms are secured and hardened against all kinds of intrusion, both electronic and physical,and as added insurance against the eventuality of hardware failures, they are also mirrored in may locations worldwide.

Norton Online Backup Support Options

With so many public offerings their support is a little muddled when you are dealing with a live agent. But, when looking on their website, they offer email, forums, FAQ, and live support. Live support comes in the form of chat and phone. The FAQ is comprehensive, and the folks in the forum are friendly and helpful.

Norton Online Backup Common Problems

The most common problem we found was finding out how much additional storage costs. Other than this there were several questions about activation, and installing the client on other computers and keeping the activation. If you have problems finding the toolbar, (as many did,) right click on the toolbar in your browser, then find the Norton entry and select it to show.

Norton Online Backup vs. The Competition

While this is an old and very trusted company, their offerings are a little on the expensive side. Many others offer just as many features, along with their unlimited storage, (Carbonite, iDrive, and iBackup.) While it is a little expensive, the 90 days of versioning is a major plus.

Norton Online Backup Company Information

Symantec, (Norton’s parent company,) has been in business since 1985 protecting computer users worldwide against internet security threats, viruses, and malware. Traded on the NYSE, this is one of the bigger companies and can be trusted to take care of your data.

Our Conclusion On Norton Online Backup

While the offerings are pretty good in general, they weren’t impressive enough to get us too excited. The one feature of the service that is notable is the 90 days of versions being maintained. There are other commpanies that offer up to 45 days, but this is the longest archive solution we have seen yet. If you have a need for many backup versions, then these guys could be the way to go…if you can afford it.

Click here To Visit SafeSync Now

SafeSync Pricing/Plans/Coupons

Trend Micro has kept the SafeSync price tiers fairly simple for folks, although you will only have the option of purchasing annual accounts. Here’s How it works and what you’ll get with the purchase.

• SafeSync20 – 20 GB storage – $39.95 annually.
• SafeSync50- 50 GB of storage – $89.95 annually.
• SafeSync100 – 100 GB of storage – $149.95 annually.

With your aid account you will get web access, the client, ability to sync files on up to 3 computers, previous file versions, sharing, mobile access, and access from any web browser in the world. The only limitations they place on you is the amount of data you can store, and that is ultimately determined by you.

SafeSync Free Trial

They have a 30 day trial account for your convenience, to test drive the service. You will be given an account that has no handicaps, disabled features, or limitations, excepting the time limitations. No credit card is required, all you need is a good e-mail account, and you are on your way.

SafeSync Client Details/Top Features

The SafeSync client is an easy download, and the installation went as expected. It will run on most any Windows XP or newer computer, Mac is also supported, though they no mention of Linux support. They have apps to allow access from Apple and Android mobile devices, and if this isn’t enough to make the grade, there are a whole host of web browsers that are supported. Here are a few of the more outstanding features:

• Syncing – Up to 3 computers or devices can have the client installed, and real time updating of your files.
• Versioning – Old versions of your files will be kept, unless you directthe client otherwise, just in case of mistakes or accidental deletion.
• Access anywhere, any time – From virtually every popular web browser used on the internet today.
• Sharing Supported – Simple file sharing is supported through either custom links to the file, e-mail, Twitter, or Facebook.
• Security – SafeSync’s parent company, Trend Micro, specializes in internet security and anti-virus, so your files and data will be completely secured from the moment you sign up.

SafeSync Product Installation

As we said earlier, the download was fast, and installation on our Windows XP SP3 test machine went off without a hitch. Once installed, the default set of files to be backed up was the most commonly selected files, Documents, Music and Pictures were included in the default set. Going into advanced mode will allow yo to pick and choose which files to back up, and you can even store copies of entire partitions, or networked drives.

SafeSync Backup Process Overview

Of course, the initial backup may take a while depending on the amount of data you need to upload. Uploading occurs in the background, and didn’t interfere with our other activities too terribly much. After the initial backup, versioning is used to keep the files up to date. Meaning that your uploads will be much smaller and faster after the initial backup, and all the backup activities are automated, so you can just set-it-and-forget-it. Even with the automation and real-time monitoring, you can use the scheduler if you don’t want your machine, or connection overloaded.

SafeSync Restore Process Overview

Restoring files is easily accomplished either from the client or a browser. Simply select the file from the client or browser, then opt to download it. Since versioning is used for the backup process, make sure that you have the correct version of the file you need, as they keep every version stored until you delete it. You can place it either to the original location, or to your desktop to be placed in the correct place.

SafeSync Sharing Capabilities

File sharing is becoming more and more popular these days, so this is a major feature of SafeSync. Simply right click on any file then select “Get a sharable link” from the context menu, and then choose how you want to pass the file around. Whether through Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, or e-mail, it’s easily accomplished.

SafeSync Privacy / Data Protection

Industry standard 256 bit AES encryption is used for file transfers, so there won’t be any funny business when your files are on the way. And their data center is a former gold vault of the Bank of England. With measure like this you know your data will be safe. The servers have firewalls for protection, and SafeSync also uses mirrors and redundant networks, just in case one of the servers gets infected or hacked.

SafeSync Support Options

This is where the real fun begins. With your account you will get support in the form of e-mail, FAQ’s, a massive knowledge base, and if you still haven’t solved any possible problems you are having there is always the trusty support ticket, and a live chat that operates at specific hours. There is another option though with Trend Micro, they have extended service plans. With these plans you can have 24/7 chat support, remote assistance, and even have them do the data recovery for you.

SafeSync Common Problems

We experienced zero incidents, but we sent a sampler question to their support, and received an answer just short of an hour, so if you do have a problem that isn’t covered in any of their FAQ’s, or tutorials, you won’t have to wait long.

SafeSync vs. The Competition

While the client is a little rough around the edges, the performance is okay. We weren’t particularly impressed with the download speeds when getting large files, but if smaller files are selected, or downloading is done in increments, the speed improves. There are fancier looking clients on the market, and their per GB cost is just a little higher than other providers, like Sugar Sync, and Sugar Sync’s client is a little nicer looking.

SafeSync Company Information

SugarSync was acquired by Trend Micro recently and they have continued working with their customers to improve the service. Based in Tokyo, Japan, they have more than 4,000 employees, and shares are traded publicly. Before SafeSync, the company’s main guise was in internet security and antivirus software development.

Our Conclusion On SafeSync

This is a pretty good service, in all. There are cheaper services, but we would recommend that you compare the features, security, and overall value against their competitors. If you find some of their features aren’t offered by others, and you can live with the cost of having them, then by all means, get a free trial account and check them out.

Click here To Visit Dropbox Now

Dropbox Pricing/Plans/Coupons

There are four levels to their account pricing, one of which we will discuss in the next section, freebies. For paid access above this here is how it works:

• Pro 50 Account: For $9.99 monthly you get 50 GB of storage, and all the goodies.
• Pro 100: This is $19.99 monthly, and you get 100 GB of storage along with all the other features.
• Teams: This account is for those in need of 1 TB or more of storage, you will be allowed up to 5 users for $795 per year, and an additional $125 each annually for additional users plus an additional 200 GB of storage.

There are other add-ons for each level of account, and you can pay extra to have what Dropbox calls the “Pack Rat” versioning feature. This is where no matter how old the version is, it will be kept so you can retrieve it.

Dropbox Free Trial

Dropbox offers one of the most comprehensive free trial accounts that we have ever seen. They will give you 2 GB of storage, and the client, all for the low price of your good email account and verification. The account is good for life, and you will be able to keep multiple computers backed up and synced with it.

Dropbox Client Details/Top Features

Dropbox works on most any computer, Windows XP and newer, Mac, Linux, and every mobile device we could think of. There are a lot of benefits to this service, we’ll touch on the highlights here:

• Works on almost any computer Mac, Linux, or mobile device.
• Sharing is easy, and quite secure.
• Restore files either via the client, or internet browser.
• Versions kept 30 days, but they can be kept longer.
• Access your files from anywhere on the internet.
• Editing and backups can be configured from your mobile device.
• Security is handled via SSL and 256 bit AES encryption.

Dropbox Product Installation

Installing Dropbox is easy, and you will have to set up an account on their website, so make sure the email address you give them is a good one, you will need it. Once installed you will have to connect the client to your Dropbox account using the email and password you set up in the beginning. Once connected, you can select the files you want to be backed up from the preferences, then the advanced tab in the preferences window. From here you can control where the Dropbox folder is kept on your computer, and you can also select which files to sync from here.

Dropbox Backup Process Overview

After the initial upload, the syncing of your files will happen in the background, and won’t interfere with your normal daily activities. You will be able to limit the upload and Download speeds. If you use proxies for anything, Dropbox will also detect these and make adjustments to it’s behavior. You will be able to pause the uploading, if you find that it is interfering with your activities, from the icon in the running tasks bar.

Dropbox Restore Process Overview

Restoring files is extremely easy. Log into your account using the client, select the “Files” tab, select your files, then click on the “More” arrow on the left side of the toolbar, then select download folder. Your download will start automatically. If you would like to restore all the files, you can download them in zip form, and replace them wherever you want to.

Dropbox Sharing Capabilities

Dropbox has one of the best sharing and syncing features we have seen among their competitors. Syncing is automatic with every computer you have attached to the account, (if the computer is online and available,) and sharing is a fairly easy affair. To share a file or folder all you have to do is select the file you wish to share, then click on the “Share A Folder” button on the toolbar. You will be presented with a window to enter the email address, etc., of the person, and they will be sent an email with a link to the file.

Dropbox Privacy/Data Protection

Security is insured using SSL data transfers, and once they have your data it will be encrypted using 256 bit industry standard. You have the option of having public galleries and folders, these won’t be secured, but shared files and folders won’t be viewable by anyone that doesn’t have the link. And people you share files with will only be able to view the files you share, they will find all your other files locked.

Dropbox Support Options

They provide support through email, forums, support tickets, and a FAQ. They also have a community suggestion box for those with feature requests, or suggestions. They also have a brief video tour of Dropbox, to help you get the most for your money. In their forums, the general attitude is friendly and happy to be there. Questions we asked were answered by other users with great suggestions, so the community is fairly knowledgeable.

Dropbox Common Problems

We looked around their forums and found few problems that didn’t have some kind of an answer, even if it was, “Let me check it out.” Most problems had been marked as solved.

Dropbox vs. The Competition

Comparing the free offerings that Dropbox has against the other guys, we were quite impressed. A fully functioning client for syncing and sharing with 2 GB of storage space is an unusual offering today. Compared to the other guys, there are less expensive online storage companies, but not many with the same syncing and sharing features.

Dropbox Company Information

The company was originally formed in 2007 by two MIT students that were frustrated by having to constantly email files and folders to themselves to be able to work on different computers. Today the team consists of more than 50 people that specialize in the computer industry in one way or another. They are constantly looking for more talent, so if you are of a mind to collaborate with them, feel free.

Our Conclusion On Dropbox

For a free service, we have found none better, for the offerings, and the service. For their paid accounts, there are cheaper, and some may have features that are more desirable to the average user. If you are needing to maintain sync, or share, files that total 2 GB or less in size, we would highly recommend that you check these guys out. If you need more than this, shop carefully, you may find cheaper with the features you want.

Click here To Visit ZipCloud Now

Zip Cloud Pricing / Plans / Coupons

Zip Cloud storage service is highly affordable at $4.95 per month when paying 2 years in advance, and they offer a free trial account for people to just check them out. If you opt to pay monthly, the cost is still low, just $9.95 per month. Other discounts are available for those paying on a 6 month and 12 month basis. They have a 30 day refund policy, no haggles, and you can cancel at any time, presently they accept most forms of credit card, and Paypal.

Zip Cloud Free Trial

The trial is 14 days, and limited to only 15 MB of storage, but this will be enough to let you know if this is the service for you. Registration requires no credit card, but you will need to give them an e-mail address, and confirm the registration from there. You will then be directed to download their application for the service and then install it.

Zip Cloud Client Details / Top Features

Presently Zip Cloud only supports Windows XP and newer, and Mac OSX, but there are applications for your favorite portable devices, and plans for a Linux version They cover Blackberry, iPhone, Androids, and many other devices. They will allow you to back-up, remotely manage, edit or view, and download previous versions of your files if you need them. To use a mobile it is as easy as accessing the website from the mobile device and log into your account. Here are a few more of the bigger features of this client:

• Drag and drop now supported, with the ability to place the file in the queue where you want it.
• Very advances scheduler. You can select specific dates, for backing and not backing up your files.
• Backups supported in power saver mode, and even while idle.
• R. click context menu that allows for instant backup or queuing.
• Private sharing in folders via secured links.
• Referral program for your Facebook friends and for regular purchasers.

When they first went live they only had the Windows version, but it didn’t take them long to get their Mac version up-n-running. With that in mind we are predicting that it won’t take very long for them to get the Linux version in the mix.

Zip Cloud Product Installation

Installation was easy, the file downloaded in a matter of moments, we simply clicked on the .exe and followed the prompts. Once installed the client will automatically select a list of the most likely files that you may want backed up. If you don’t want your entire system backed up, then you will need to instruct the client as to which files to back up. By default movies, music, and other files that tend to be large aren’t automatically selected. If you want to back up your MP3′s, .mov, MP4′s etc., you will have to select them for back up. No need for a restart of your machine, and the client will start automatically every time you turn your machine on.

Zip Cloud Backup Process Overview

The very first time you back up your PC could take up to a week, according to Zip Cloud. After this the process is taken care of by monitoring the files to be maintained, and then updating any files that have changed periodically, so after the first time, the process is quite fast. We tested the 15 MB limit on our XP SP/3 machine, and found the process didn’t interfere with our surfing habits any, while the program was running in the background.

Zip Cloud Restore Process Overview

Restoring lost files is as easy as logging into the Zip Cloud website and selecting the files from your list of back-ups. Download will start immediately, simply save the files to your desktop, then replace them where they go after the download process.

Zip Cloud Sharing Capabilities

Syncing is supported, and easy. All you need to do is either drag and drop the file into the Zip Cloud folder, or you can right click on the icon for the file, select Zip Cloud, then select “copy to sync folder.” Then this file will be available to you no matter where you are, just by logging into the Zip Cloud website and downloading it. Sharing of files is allowed and facilitated through Facebook, e-mail, or Twitter.

Zip Cloud Privacy / Data Protection

For transferring your data to their storage facilities Zip Cloud uses 256 bit SSL, the same as banks use. They store your data in mirrored servers, for extra protection against loss, and use the same 256 bit encryption for storing your files. For ordering and paying for the service they use the same SSL, so security of your credit card, or other account data will be insured, and they never store any financial account information except the last 4 digits of the credit card number you give them.

Zip Cloud Support Options

They have an extensive Q&A on their website that will handle most of your questions, but in case it doesn’t, there is a support e-mail system. The client has a help section that will take you to their website Q&A. All our questions were answered promptly, when we sent questions to their support team.

Zip Cloud Common Problems

We encountered no incidents, excepting our tendency to over stuff our test file to more than the 1 GB limit we had.

Zip Cloud vs. The Competition

For the money, the service is one of our highest recommendations. The support team is friendly, the client worked well. Their prices are comparable to other services like MYPCBackup, Carbonite, or Storagepipe, as is the level of service and support.

Zip Cloud Company Information

There are 10 professionals running this operation, that have a lot of combined experience. It is a fairly new company in the online backup scene, but they are coming out with a purpose…domination.

Conclusion On Zip Cloud

We liked the client, liked the service, liked the support, liked the freebie trial account, for a fact there wasn’t much to not like about this online storage company. We have recommended it in the past, and will continue to recommend it in the future.

Click here To Visit Penny Backup Now

Penny Backup Pricing / Plans / Coupons

There are a couple of different ways to set up your account.

• Flat Rate: 8.9 cents p/GB. You sign up for a free trial account, and at the end, you will have an understanding of how much storage you will need, and opt to purchase enough to keep your machines up to date.
• Prepaid Annually: $59.00 for unlimited storage for 12 months. You can opt for this when you sign up for the trial account.
• Bulk Purchasing: They have the option, if you need more storage than the average homeor business, maybe you want to offer this as a special feature of your service, then they are willing to negotiate the costs on larger blocks.

They do not limit you on how many computers that you have the client installed on, or what kind of data you store. In fact, the only limit you will discover is your storage, which you have complete control of.

Penny Backup Free Trial

To get their free trial, you will have to jump through a few hoops. They have you fill out the form, then you will have to wait a bit for a link to come in your email. The link will take you to the download site for their freeware. You will have 30 days from the moment you get the client installed.

Penny Backup Client Details / Top Features

Although the client will only run on a Windows PC at this time, it does cover almost every flavor of Windows XP/SP3 and newer. It does support both 32 and 64 bit. Asigra technology is the base of the client operation, and here are a few of the highlights:

• Flat rate, ability to determine how much you need.
• Scheduling supported, very configurable.
• Back up set: Default set is great for the average home user, otherwise set these up to your liking.
• Backup frequency: 2, 3 times p/day…more? You decide.
• Versioning and incremental back ups. And, you get to say how long to keep the old versions…or how many.
• As many PC’s as you want, networked storage devices, whatever you need to backup.

Penny Backup Product Installation

After we received the link in our email, it was a simple matter to get the download we needed and in a short few minutes we were installing the client. The Install Wizard guided us through the entire setup process, and soon we were picking our selected test files to be backed up. The backup uploading will go as fast as your internet connection allows, and you will be allowed to set the schedules. If you would like, you can even schedule a technician to be on the live chat while you install the client to help you with the process.

Penny Backup Backup Process Overview

Our internet connection got pretty busy for a few minutes while the initial backup of our test files was uploaded, but as we didn’t want to spend too much time letting the program dominate the connection, we opted for a few at first and then a few later. After all the initial backups were finished, the program slipped into the background, and quietly took care of the files we were changing.

Penny Backup Restore Process Overview

Restoring will be a little more complicated that most other backup services usually are…especially if the computer the backups are for is damaged, or you can’t get it to boot. If it will, it’s as easily done as starting the client, browsing to the files you need, select the version you would like, then download it. If your computer is stole, damaged, or won’t start the client for some reason, you can contact them through a form on their website, and they will guide you through the restoring process.

Penny Backup Sharing Capabilities

The client can be installed on as many machines as you wish to install it on, and you can back up as many files from the machines as your purchased space will allow. Security measures will give each machine you put in the network a specialized encryption key that identifies that machine. But, every machine will have access to all the files you have stored there. There is no sharing of your files through their service otherwise.

Penny Backup Privacy / Data Protection

There are 3 levels of encryption to select from, and plenty of other security to make you feel safe from intrusions. Here’s how Asigra’s security technology works:

• AES 128, 192, or 256 bit encryption. With this you will set up an 8,16, or 32 character password. This encryption key is only the first of four numbers you are going to need.
• Your Account Key. This account key will work on any of the computers you have the client running on.
• Licensing File. This is a file that is unique to the computer. It is stored in a spot in the computer that won’t be happened on by the casual user.
• An account licensing file will also be stored on your computer that is unique to your account.

They also use additional security measures. Your files will be mirrored in 2 separate locations, to reduce the possibility of hardware failures and software glitches preventing you from accessing your files or their getting damaged.

Penny Backup Support Options

Their main support option seems to be email. They do have a FAQ, but this is limited to 2 questions: “When will you bill my credit card?” and “Do I need to install any special software to use Penny Backup?” After they answered these two questions they directed us to their support form page.

Penny Backup Common Problems

As with most backup services the main problem seemed to be the amount of time the initial backup process takes, and the licenses. We didn’t have any problems with the client, but we didn’t try contacting support about recovery on a different machine.

Penny Backup vs. The Competition

While their software is free, and easy to use, there are other providers that make it a little easier to recover from a massive failure. It is hard to find someone that can match the prices though, charging by how much you use is a novel idea…and their willingness to haggle a little over the price of massive amounts of storage space is nice. Others would allow more sharing, but if security is a major concern, this reduces the number of possible intrusions.

Penny Backup Company Information

Penny Backup is a division of Storage Guardian, a company that has more than 25 years experience in the data storage and security industry. They provide storage and backup solutions to thousands of top level corporations, and now are providing the same for the home users and small business through Penny Backup.

Penny Backup Conclusion

We were impressed with their pricing plans. The ability to only purchase the GB’s we needed was nice. Where we were disappointed was with the ability to share, which didn’t exist. If security is a concern, and sharing isn’t, then this shouldn’t be a problem. For a bare bones, cheap service, we recommend you check them out.

Click here To Visit Egnyte Now

Egnyte Pricing/Plans/Coupons

There are a couple of different levels of plan. This first plan is for small businesses and will allow up to 25 users:

• The Group plan – $24.99 p/mo, 5 users, 150 GB storage, 2.5 GB file size limit.
• The Office Plan – $44.99 p/mo, 10 users, 1 TB storage, unlimited file size limit.
• The Company Plan – $99.99 p/mo, 25 users, 1 TB storage, no file size limits.

The Medium size business would do well to have larger storage, and more user access. The Corporate plan is highly customizable, and starts at $150 per month. Here’s how the plan can be customized:

• Users – Power users start at 30 and can increase to 200. Standard users start at 600 and go to unlimited.
• Storage – starts at 1TB and can be increased to 16 TB.
• Personal local cloud is included for all Power users, but you can opt to get their Office local cloud, or Enterprise local cloud.
• Additional discounts on all of their packages when purchasing annually.

The Corporate package price increases with the number of users, storage, etc., and can go up to a little over $2,500 per month.

Egnyte Free Trial

They offer a 15 day free trial for you to evaluate their services. With the trial you will be allowed to have up to 5 Power users, 100 regular users, and will have 150 GB at your disposal. No credit card, or other financial information is needed, A good e-mail address so you can confirm the account registration is all you need to get started.

Egnyte Client Details/Top Features

Egnyte offers a lot for the businesses they service. In fact there are so many features in fact, that we can only list the very best of the highlights here:

• Online File Storage – Permission based folders that can be accessed from the web or desktop, drag-n-drop is supported, mobile access is also possible to unlimited storage.
• File sharing – access control, automatic version backup, change notifications, locking, unlimited public folders, and concurrent sharing.
• Continuous backup – Syncing is automatic, and restoration is easy and instant.
• Offline Access – One of the very few backup clients that offer a local cloud. As soon as the system is reconnected to the internet, it will automatically update the files stored there.
• Security System – Top of the line DOD level security is maintained on your stored files, and servers are maintained in a 24/7/365 secured center that is locked by physical keys.
• Privacy control, and complete user management.
• Custom Branding – Make your control panel yours with the ability to customize access and appearance.

Egnyte Installation

Getting started with Egnyte is easy, the sign up process takes only a few minutes. Internet access will be via your own http://. As we said before, customization and branding is easy, just go to the Settings tab, then select Branding kit from the menu on the right, and begin customizing. For offline access, you will have to download their Map Drive app, and another Personal Cloud app. You will be able to set up power users, and regular users from the settings also. This is done from the control panels Home tab, on the right side menu. There will be a popup and you can fill in the information for your new user, and then send them the link via e-mail.

Egnyte Backup Process Overview

How long backups and storage takes depends on the amount of data you will have to upload. They do support FTP, which is a little faster, but if your backups and storage files are large it could take as long as a week for the initial upload. After that, incremental backup is used to keep the files maintained, so after the initial upload the amount of time it takes to sync any changed files with their servers will be much less.

Egnyte Restore Process Overview

Restoring files is just as easy as storing them. Just click on the file to be restored, and then the download button on the control panel’s tool bar. Once downloaded, simply place the file where it goes, or alternatively when you download it you can download it to the location that yo need it.

Egnyte Sharing Capabilities

There are 3 levels of sharing, Administrators, Power Users and Regular Users. Administrators permissions are kind of obvious. Power Users have the following privileges: Desktop and web access, large file management and sending, a powerful search, encryption, and backup files and e-mail folders. Regular Users have all of the same privileges except the desktop access, and backup files and e-mail folders.

Egnyte Privacy / Data Protection

To provide you with security their data centers are SAS 70 compliant. Meaning that physical access to their servers is highly controlled, and video monitored. They have several storage centers, East and West US coasts, and one in Europe. For your file transfers they use 256 bit encrypted SSL, the same as some of the biggest financial institutions use. All files are stored with 256 bit encryption, and of course, there is the user access permissions. You will be able to determine who gets to see your files, exclusively.

Egnyte Support Options

On their website you will find video tutorials, FAQ’s, e-mail support options, (which is almost instantaneous,) and live support. The FAQ is quite large, and covers almost every incident the average user may encounter we could think of. There is also live training, though we didn’t take the time check that out.

Egnyte vs. The Competition

There aren’t many providers that offer this level of storage, but of the few we do know of, like MozyPro, or Amerivault, the feature offerings are hard to compare. For the money, Egnyte is comparable to the other guys.

Egnyte Company Information

They launched their Cloud file server business in 2008 with their headquarters in Silicon Valley, Ca. Since their start they have received awards and media acclaim worldwide. Their customers base if from a huge variety of industries, and organizations.

Egnyte Conclusion

If you are needing massive amount of sharing capabilities and storage, then these guys are worth checking out. The implications of having your information available to hundreds of clients and employees is also nice. For a medium or small business solution, we recommend people to at least give them a try on the free account.

It’s possible to access your files from anywhere in the world that you can get an internet connection, and there isn’t a file size limitation, unless you are operating on their free account, which we will give you more detail about later in this article. They have support for mobile devices, like Android, and iPhones, and the client the give you to do all this is an easy to use, full featured program that is highly configurable.

Click here To Visit Just Cloud Now

JustCloud Pricing / Plans / Coupons

There are three ways to pay, monthly, semi-annual, and annual.

• For one months unlimited online storage the price is $9.95
• 6 months is $6.96 per month
• 12 months of unlimited storage it’s only $71.40, or a minimal $5.95 per month. That’s 40% off.

Signing up for their service is fast and they accept most every major form of plastic and Paypal. They have a 30 day no quibble refund policy, if you are dissatisfied at any point you just have to request that your account be canceled, and you will get a refund promptly.

JustCloud Free Trial

They offer their potential customers a 14 day free trial which will allow you to store up to 15 MB of data. We realize that this isn’t much, but it is enough to let you evaluate their system and client. With the free account the only feature/function limitations are the time limit and total storage amount.

JustCloud Client Details/Top Features

Presently they only support Windows XP and newer, Mac OSX, and almost every mobile device produced today. The download is small, only a little over 9 MB, and after installing the client and undertaking several other tasks you will be given an additional 100 MB of storage space. Installation is easy, the installer will start automatically once the download is completed. Here are a few of the major highlights of JustCloud:

• Backup during Idle time or power saver mode supported and configurable.
• Private folder sharing using special secured links.
• Scheduling is advanced, supports skipping days and specific days for backup.
• Drag and drop backing, and queuing can be controlled for this function also.
• A referral program unlike nay other backup company.

Once installation is complete, you will be able to use the client to specify the files you would like to be backed up. The default set included most every file we would like to have backed up, but if your system is very busy, there may not be enough space to back up everything you need, initially. We didn’t want to overload our free trial account limits, so we selected specific test files to keep on their servers. Once the selection process was finished, the client slipped into the background and offered no interference while we surfed the internet and the client uploaded the files.

JustCloud Backup Process Overview

When backing up for the first time, your uploading could take several days or as long as a week, but after this the upload process is quite quick, and won’t slow you down any.Back-ups are done using a versioning system. This is where the files are uploaded in their entirety only once. After this your files will be monitored by the client for changes. If a change is detected, then only the file that was modified will be uploaded, and even then, only the changes in the file. Since they support incremental backups, they will keep old versions of your files until you delete them.

JustCloud Restore Process Overview

Restoring lost or damaged files is a fairly simple matter also. The easiest way we found was to go to their website, log in, select the “View my backed up files” from the menu on the right. Once you find the file you need, just click on it and the download process will begin automatically. Be sure to select the correct version of the file you are replacing, as there may be several file versions. If you decide to upgrade, your free account will be transferred. Alternatively, if you decide not to upgrade, or cancel your account, they will give you a grace period to get the files back, if you need to.

JustCloud Sharing Capabilities

Syncing functions are easily accomplished. You can either drag and drop, or alternatively, right click, select Just Cloud from the menu, then pick “Copy To Sync Folder.” That file will then be taken care of and monitored for any changes. After the upload process has finished, you will be able to get your file from any computer, anywhere in the world. If you want to share your files, or a single file, you will be able to use Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail by a right click, select “Share” and post, (or send,) your link.

JustCloud Privacy / Data Protection

During transfer, either upload, or download, all your data is secure using 256 bit SSL, as good as the industry can provide, and in their data centers it will also be encrypted using the same type of 256 bit encryption the government uses. Security against data loss, and hardware failures is insured with several mirrors, all of their servers are monitored 24/7/365, too.

JustCloud In Action Photo Gallery

JustCloud Support Options

Their support come in the form of FAQ’s, an extensive online knowledge base, and support tickets. According to the reviews coming from their customers, they are fast with the support tickets if you can’t find the answer you need from their other options. On their website though, they are preparing to add video tutorials, but haven’t done it yet.

JustCloud Common Problems

We found that the largest single complaint is that the initial back-up takes so long. There is a good reason for this, too. The files that are most commonly selected by users, (the default set when the client is installed,) are many, and the upload is quite large…if the back-up is to be effective. Aside from this problem, we found no other real issues.

JustCloud vs. The Competition

When compared to other services offering like or similar packages, these guys are competitive. The service and support is as good as, (if not better,) than larger providers like Carbonite, MYPCBackup, or Storagepipe. We were particularly impressed with their support system, one of the best KB’s we have seen.

Our Conclusion On JustCloud

Our experience with Just Cloud was excellent. From the first moment, to downloading the client, all the way to retrieving the backed up files. We were disappointed that we didn’t have any kind of mobile device to access the site and test it on this level, but judging from the rest of our experience, they have it together. We recommend that you at least give these guys a run on their free trial, it doesn’t require a Credit Card, only an e-mail, and confirmation.