The JustCloud restore process is also very easy and straight forward. All you have to do is simply hit the “restore files” button, select the device that you want to from, choose a destination folder to download the files, and press restore. The files being downloaded and how long it will take can be viewed via a progress bar. Once finished, the restore process places all of your backed up files into the directory that you chose with folder labeled with the restore date. Again, the auto backup and the restore work flawlessly and they are very simple to use. You do not need to be a computer expert to make sure you are properly backing up your important files which makes JustCloud a very versatile solution for just about anyone.

JustCloud states that with a constant connection to the internet an average of 3-4GB per day can be uploaded. Initial backups can take a few hours to a few weeks, which is actually about the industry average.

Syncing Capability

You can view certain stored files on any one of your devices via the “sync folder” that syncs to the cloud. This is very similar to how other syncing applications work. When you download the JustCloud application it places a folder called “sync folder” on your desktop. Any file you drop into this folder will be available on any other computer that you have the JustCloud app installed, or you can just log into the JustCloud website from any computer, mobile device, or tablet, and view your sync folder right there. Again, this speaks to the versatile functionality of JustCloud. There were a few intermittent problems that I ran into when trying to view the sync files through the website and on mobile devices. I tried viewing a pdf file and a jpeg (picture file) and neither one would open. The option to download was available but when chosen did not do anything. I waited a while, tried logging again, and the problem seemed to go away as I was then able to open and view the files through the web. So I did run into a few glitches in my testing of the services.

I contacted JustCloud about this and they responded quickly and was able to resolve the issue in an acceptable time frame. However, I also tested this out on my iPad. JustCloud does not have a dedicated app as of the time of this writing for mobile devices, but they have a mobile version of the website. One time when I logged in from the iPad it did not show me any files at all. I went to a couple different sync apps I have as well as tested my Internet connection and everything worked fine, so it was definitely something with the JustCloud website. Again, when I tried logging in later in the day, it worked fine. Aside from these periodic issues that I experienced with the sync folder on the web, it worked adequately. Personally I would prefer a dedicated mobile app for tablets and phones. I do believe JustCloud is working on creating mobile apps.

Security

JustCloud provides what apparels to be the industry when it comes to security features. Data transfers to and from your devices to their servers fully encrypted using 256-bit SSL encryption. This means that if a hacker happens to be watching your files transferring to the JustCloud servers, they will see nothing but encrypted gibberish. The other great feature that I did infact verify with JustCloud is that the data that resides on their servers are also fully encrypted. Should anyone gain access to JustCloud servers, they again won’t be able to make sense of your data. JustCloud has strict physical access policies to their data centers, so only authorized personnel will ever have access to the physical servers.

Conclusion

JustCloud is well worth the low monthly fee for their extremely simple automated backup and restore alone. The file syncing is an added bonus, and even though I ran into a few intermittent issues with the sync files and mobile access, I still can recommend giving JustCloud a trial run. The syncing capability looks good and seems to be headed in the right direction. Perhaps a few back-end tweaks will clear up some issues. The only real downside that I encountered is the lack of a dedicated mobile app which is a must for file syncing now days, so a solid mobile app would make a great addition and would add an enormous amount of value to this already great cloud backup application.

The Cloud Security Alliance was first conceived of when Jim Reavis and Nils Puhlmann made a presentation during the 2008 ISSA CISO forum in Las Vegas. In this presentation, Reavis outlined the emerging trends of information security and incited the greater community to collaborate in tackling major cloud computing security issues. Today, the Cloud Security Alliance serves an advisory role and is made up of corporate, affiliate and volunteer members that research cloud computing security and publish whitepapers outlining their findings.

Security, Compliance, and Legal

Although the CSA has pointed out 13 major areas of concern with regards to cloud computing security, all of these areas can be sorted into three main categories: Security and Privacy, Compliance, and Legal or Contractual issues. Security and privacy issues are centered around the cloud computing user experience and customer data security.

Secure cloud systems should be able to segregate users’ data from one another and have sufficient access controls in place to ensure that only authorized users are accessing their own data. Cloud providers must also have sufficient data protection processes in place to ensure that no third party can maliciously gain access to stored customer data.

The compliance category of cloud security issues deals with industry best practices that all cloud providers should follow. For example, in the case of fatal errors, downtime or system faults, cloud computing systems should be able to produce detailed event logs that allow administrators and customers to understand system errors. This is essential for companies that use their cloud systems to host payment processors because they have legal obligations to store detailed logs of transactions and their status.

The Cloud Security Alliance identifies the legal category of cloud computing issues as involving questions of liability in the event of data loss or system failures that may affect companies and their users. Cloud systems may also have a duty to retain certain access and usage information to satisfy public records requirements.

Education and Certification

In addition to publishing whitepapers explaining these cloud security concerns and techniques for managing them, the CSA also serves a tutelary role to cloud service vendors and consumers. The Cloud Security Alliance holds regular training sessions around the U.S. that anyone can register for. These courses cover a wide range of introductory topics such as basic and advanced cloud security knowledge, as well as specific topics such as managing the governance, risk management, and compliance stack.

The Cloud Security Alliance also maintains and issues certifications regarding technical knowledge of cloud computing security issues. The Certificate of Cloud Computing Security Knowledge was designed to formalize cloud security training throughout the industry and it may well be the case that all cloud computing technicians are eventually required by their companies to complete this course.

SOS Collaborate Private Cloud

SOS Collaborate Private Cloud is now available through SOS Online Backup. The company has announced on their blog the launch of this new service. SOS Collaborative Private Cloud is a groupware solution for organizations within a firm’s private network and allows IT and company employees to use administrative panels to monitor and control their users’ behavior. These new administrative features will enhance a company’s security and their online collaborative actions.

The new SOS Collaborative Private Cloud enhances the level of security to managing documents. These new features are:

• Ability to sync
• Large file sharing options
• Editing and commenting on documents through the web and enabling of group notifications
• Ability to share secure links to folders and files
• Flexible administrative panels and controls
• Audit trail

SOS Online Backup, an online backup solution since 2001, is available for consumers, small and medium sized businesses and IT service providers. Read our SOS Online Backup Review and consider which service is best for your online backup needs.

Consolidating Storage with Mozy and Stash

Users no longer have to delete their data from one computer location to free up space in their Mozy storage. Mozy has blogged a new method to keeping those files and photos on linked computers AND accounting for their storage space online just one time.

Storing your files and documents in your Stash allows users to access them from any computer. Stash will only count them once against your MozyHome storage space. Stash users will need to save those files and photos in the same place in their Stash on all linked computers to ensure that Stash will recognize them as the same existing file.

Users can also delete or edit those photos and files from within their Stash and those same editions will show on all other linked computers. Stash keeps all linked computers updated with those changes.

Mozy Online Backup helps users to preserve their data – documents, files, and photos. Mozy Stash allows users with multiple computers to keep their data secure in one location but accessible from all linked computers. Our MozyHome Review gives you more information about this online backup provider.

Norton Identity Safe Beta Now Available

Norton has published the release of Norton Identity Safe which is now in public beta. This service is a free cloud service that allows users to store and sync their logins, passwords, debit and credit card information and any other web information from various browsers and devices. This service has been designed to help users keep their identities safe and secure from multiple sites and devices including Windows PCs and iOS devices.

These new Norton Identity Safe features are:

• Password Management – This eliminates having to remember multiple logins and passwords.

• Streamlined experience – Users will see their thumbnail images and be able to login to a desired website with one click or touch.

• Share Via – Users can now share their online content through email or social network plugins by sending URLs directly from Norton Identity Safe.

• Safe Search – Users now have the ability to search websites and view their ratings and then determine if those sites are safe before visiting.

With this Norton Identity Safe beta, users will also have Norton Safe Web protection. This additional service allows users to keep their information from being compromised by unsafe websites. This protection determines at risk sites and will notify a user of suspicious URLs in the real time view.

Symantec provides security and storage management solutions to consumers and businesses alike. Symantec’s Norton protects consumers and businesses from cybercrime with antivirus, phishing, and antispyware protection. Our Norton Online Backup Review will provide more information about Symantec and Norton and how they can help you safeguard your data and information.

Onlinestorage.com aims to keep you informed with the latest information from the number one online storage services. Allow us to help you find the right online storage company for you with our Online Backup Comparison tool or download our free StorageAdvisorPro.

What’s Next for Mozy Stash?

Not only does Mozy want to protect and preserve your files, but they want to make sure you always have access to your data. Mozy Stash is the answer to reaching that promise. Mozy has shared some of the new features being planned during the Mozy Stash beta period:

Web Access – This current feature was designed to help users restore files from a backup and will now show the user the folders and files that had been deleted or moved, in addition to your current data. Mozy plans to launch “Web Access 2.0” which will make restorations easier and will also support Stash. This new version will filter how your files are displayed and with Web Access 2.0, users can upload files and manage their data in Stash.

Mozy App for Android and iOS – With the updates of Mozy’s mobile app, users can upload photos and videos to Stash. Users can upload any file type to their Android, iPhone, or iPad device.

Performance – Stash Software 0.11 will present performance improvements. Users will notice a change in speed increase for file updates and synchronization of files.

Mozy announced Mozy Stash on January 25, 2012. Be sure to read our Mozy Reviews for more information about this company and their products.

Real-Time Updates with Box

Box.net has revealed a new method of keeping its users connected, informed and productive. Box users will now receive notifications and updates at the bottom right corner of their Box page in addition to viewing the Updates tab. No matter where a user is in their Box account, they will be able to see these notifications. Users will be able to see what files their coworkers have uploaded or downloaded, what they have edited or deleted, and what they have commented on.

Only the most important information will be sent to you immediately and a user only needs to click on the notification to access that new information. Box has created controls to help you determine which notifications you want to receive.

These controls can be accessed and changed in your account or from the admins settings page. Users can set it up to receive “All Notifications” so you can stay informed with every detail or adjust the settings to “Important notifications” and receive those updates that pertain only to you and your work.

Box.net strives to keep their consumers in the know from any location. Our Box Reviews will help you learn more about this online storage company.

Own Your Minus Profile

Minus users can now make their Minus profiles more personal. Minus has blogged an update about the addition of subdomains for profiles. Here is an example of the subdomain for a profile change:

minus.com.jim is now jim.minus.com

Minus plans to make even more changes to a user’s profile settings to make it more customizable and personable. Users also have the option to keep their profiles private but enabling “Protected Profile” in their settings.

Minus makes it easy to upload and share your files within minutes, including your videos, photos, music and documents. Our Minus Reviews will reveal more information about this company.

Visit onlinestorage.com and let us help you find the right cloud storage for your personal or business needs. There are so many to choose from and we’ve provided Reviews for the top companies and an easy way to use Online Storage Guide to help you find the right company for your needs.

Cloud storage is something that is worth looking into. It will benefit your company in a variety of ways, including offering more access for your employees and clients to many documents. However, there are also disadvantages that you need to look into, which may affect the way your business is run.

It is likely that you have part-time members of staff in the office. Mostly, this will be due to parents needing to work part-time to look after children. You have to hire more people to cover this cost, which will cost you more in wages. However, with online storage, it becomes possible to allow your staff to work from home. They still work full-time but are able to look after their families, and you get to save money by hiring fewer people.

You will also benefit by having all of your work documents in one place. All your staff members will be able to access what they need, no matter where they are. This will also help you if you have employees who commute long distances or those who work flex-hours since they will be able to access the documents while traveling.

A third advantage of using cloud computing solutions is that the online storage is cost-effective. If you opted for hard drives and disks, you would constantly need to buy new ones as the space runs out. There is unlimited space on many Cloud storage facilities – or you can keep upgrading – which means that everything is in one place for one low cost each month.

The main disadvantage to using cloud computing solutions is that you are putting your control into someone else. The company will control the servers and how they are maintained. This can mean that your storage is temporarily down or that work is lost if something goes horribly wrong.

At the same time, you run the risk of losing work if the company goes out of business. This is always something that you need to consider as a possibility and will need to be prepared for it. Sometimes the companies will be bought out by others, which may also work as a disadvantage to you, especially if you have gained loyalty discounts over the years or the prices change.

Overall, Cloud computing solutions is usually beneficial for a business. You will be able to have everything in one place and all your employees will be able to access it. However, you need to shop around for the best deals and look into how the company is doing financially to make sure it does not go bust.

Backblaze Restores USB Drives

Backblaze restored 600 million files in 2011. Majority of those were via USB hard drives and not DVDs. With this report, Backblaze has announced that they are no longer restoring DVDs and replacing their restorations with USB flash drives.

With the View/Restore File options, users can download using the Zip File, the USB Flash Key (up to 28 GB) and also the USB Hard Drive (up to 1 TB).

The new USB Flash Key option is replacing the DVD option and they are keeping the price the same. With this new option for $99, this will allow users to restore up to 28 GB of data, which is 7 DVDs worth on a USB flash drive. They can also reuse the flash drive once the restore is complete. And users can now sync that data to a Mac, ultra book or any other computer with USB gateways.

Backblaze, launched in 2007, is an online storage company that offers consumers an unlimited amount of storage space without the need for filetypes and folders. We’ve compiled our Backblaze Reviews for you to read more about this company.

Keeping Your Videos From Going Viral

For consumers who want to share their family pictures and videos privately, MiMedia has shared how to keep those videos from not going viral on the web.

MiMedia allows consumers to upload their photos and videos and then email a direct link to your friends and family. Those who receive your email will not be required to sign up, register or login but simply click on the link and view your photos and videos.

In your MiMedia account, there is a video library which allows you to keep your videos organized. This library will sort them by galleries, date or title. This makes it easy to select the video you wish to watch or share. MiMedia has high quality streaming capabilities which guarantees your videos will appear with sharp images.

MiMedia offers an online backup for your files and an easy way to share those files. Our MiMedia Reviews can help you determine if this online storage company is suitable for your needs.

Enhanced Sharing Features on Box

In 2011, Box users downloaded 135 million files through shared links. With this statistic, Box.net has updated how users can share links from their folders and files. They’ve shared this new feature publicly on their blog.

These new features from the dropdown menu consist of:

• Open – Users can set the links to “open” if they want others to have access to that particular file. You can also add an expiration date or a password. These restrictions will be for any users not already working together in the folder.

• @Company – This option allows only those in the specified company to view the file or link. In order to have access to the link, they must have received it directly from you.

• Collaborators Only – Choose this option if you want to specify a collaborator to an exact folder or file without jeopardizing security.

• Disable – This feature will deactivate the shared link of a file or folder.

Box.net has made it easy for consumers to access and share their information in the cloud since 2005. We have Box Reviews online to help you learn more about this cloud storage company.

Onlinestorage.com is dedicated to providing consumers with the most up-to-date information on the many online storage companies. Our goal is to help you, as a consumer or business owner, make the right decision suitable for your cloud storage needs. Our StorageAdvisorPro can help you determine, which company is best for you. You can also use our Online Backup Comparison tool or try our Online Storage Guide.

MiMedia Receives Patent for Shuttle Drive

MiMedia has blogged that they have received a patent for its new Shuttle Drive service. This new service compliments MiMedia online storage with its hard drive based solution to the already extensive broadband uploads. Shuttle Drive is a portable hard drive which will eliminate the bandwidth blockage. This process will reduce the backup time of large data amounts from weeks to just a few days.

The patented MiMedia Shuttle Drive service will be sent directly to consumers via Priority Mail. Users will need to download the software and begin to securely backup their files directly to the disk drive. Once this process is complete, customers will need to return the drive back to MiMedia using a prepaid shipping label and these files will then be stored in the customer’s MiMedia account. This process takes just a few days. The Shuttle Drive service can handle up to 1TB (or 1,000 GB) of data. This service is free for all MiMedia Premium subscribers.

MiMedia is your personal media service that combines online storage with a protected way to backup and save your digital life. MiMedia allows users to share their saved data or secure them confidentially. Read our MiMedia Reviews online and see if this online storage service is right for your online digital backup needs.

Minus App Updated for Android Users

Minus has announced an updated version of their app for both Android phones and tablets.

These new features include:

• Ability to upload multiple files at one time
• Faster and more stable uploads
• A user profile has been added with folder options and an avatar
• The Copy Link button has been returned and has new options
• Ability to invite and follow friends on Minus for Android
• Context Menu now found in the Folder View
• More distinct and easy to understand error messages
• Ability to view file information as well as view captions
• An updated Image Editor for the new Aviary Feather 2.0
• Ability to view all folders and all files in one folder
• More security has been added for SSL connections
• Multiple bug fixes and other stability solutions

To utilize this app, just download it directly onto your Android phone or tablet.

Minus is a file sharing company that integrates your social networking. Read our Minus Reviews online to see if this online storage service is best for you.

Mozy Launches Stash

Mozy publicized on their blog a new feature that provides their customers a simple way to keep their files up to date. This new feature allows users the ability to sync their files through multiple computers, smartphones and tablets. Mozy Stash makes moving those saved files (photographs, documents, music and videos) from various computers easier and more convenient.

The data you have stored will always be available in your Mozy account, even if you choose not to sync those files. Your files in Mozy Stash will remain protected and available at all times, from any location.

Mozy online and backup, developed in 2007, is an online storage service for consumers and business owners. Read our Mozy Reviews online for more information.

Onlinestorage.com is your number one resource for comparing the top online storage companies. Use our online storage comparison tool or our online backup guide to help you find the company that’s best for your business or personal needs.

The main benefit of Cloud Computing is that the storage can be accessed from anywhere. Everything is stored online so as long as you have an Internet connection, there are no problems. It means that you do not need to make copies of everything, which will take up more space. Everything that you need is just at the click of a button.

Of course, the disadvantage to temporary online storage is that you need a good connection or somewhere that offers free Wi-Fi. If you cannot get into this then you will not be able to get your hands on your files and documents. With it being online, you will also put the risk in not being able to access it. Websites go down on a regular basis, which means that you will not gain access to anything that you have stored.

However, the good thing about the temporary online storage is that it is easy to use and maintain. There are so many people that now use it that the software has become very user-friendly. It is also possible for many to access one account by just setting separate usernames and passwords for access. This helps businesses that have many different employees needing to access the same documents, at the same time.

People can access it anywhere, with the Internet. This makes it possible for users to access work from home, which offers more opportunities to work from home. This allows employees to concentrate on family life as well as work life, and save money on childcare costs. More of the salary can go on family wants instead of necessities.

However, the servers do have problems and sometimes go down with temporary online storage. This means accessing the files difficult and will cut down on work activity. In fact, not being able to access files will harm business output, which will harm the profit capabilities. It is important to take time and shop around for a highly reliable storage option and then to have the data backed up somewhere – which means the benefit of saving space on disks and flash media no longer applies.

The operating system will not affect the ability to access files. There are many websites that use Flash, which is not accessible on all operating systems, but Cloud Computing is completely different. This is beneficial when it comes to a business environment where the users all have different types of operating systems on their work and home computers.

Control can be an issue when it comes to temporary online storage. The storage is usually run by a third-party, which means that you have no control over it. If the company makes changes to the system, you will need to adapt to them. You also run the risk of losing work if the company are unable to fix a problem with their server or do not get to the server quick enough for you – if you owned the storage center, you would have the control to fix problems as they happen without causing too many problems for the business.

Carbonite Earns PTPA Seal of Approval

Parent Test Parent Approval, also known as PTPA Media, aims to appraise and promote products and companies that enhance families and family living. Carbonite has blogged that PTPA has given their company the prestigious seal of approval.

Independent volunteers evaluate hundreds of products in their own homes and the PTPA chooses their winners based on importance and the volunteer consumers’ personal experience. These consumers and judges look at the quality of the product, the effectiveness and the value.

A PTPA reviewer had this to say: “Carbonite is very user friendly and easy to navigate. I found it much easier to use than other programs I have used in the past.” Another consumer said, “It was incredibly functional, and I was impressed with how seamless it was. With so many important files, I wouldn’t have it any other way and I appreciate that Carbonite realized this and made sure everything was as effortless as possible.”

Carbonite online backup is an easy and secure method to backing up your photos, videos, data, music and digital files. This program runs on both Windows and Mac computers. Our Carbonite Reviews will tell you in more detail about this online storage company.

4Sync Becomes Top-1 for CNET.com

4Sync has publicized that their company has become the Top-1 Online Storage and Data Backup App for CNET.com. This app is still relatively new to CNET’s Download.com but quickly became the most popular syncing app for computers.

4sync blogs, “It, actually, includes all beneficial features, that one might need, is really simple and convenient in usage.” They provide every user with 15 GB free storage space and also allow upgrading options for 100GB of space. 4sync also provides a fast and easy way to access and share your synced files as well as editing documents and archives. Users are also able to backup their data from one secure place and access their files at any time.

4shared.com offers free file and service sharing. Users can upload music, photos, videos, and personal data. For more information, take a moment to read our 4shared.com Reviews.

Acronis Receives Two Virtual Rewards

Acronis has been honored with awards for virtual server backup as well as recovery solutions. The company has blogged that they have received two awards this month – the Bronze awards for Backup and Storage in the SearchServerVirtualization.com Products of The Year 2011.

Acronis Backup and Recovery Virtual Edition was originally recognized by the Virtualization Review 2012 Reader’s Choice Awards. The company was a Preferred Product in the Business Continuity category. They were nominated based on vendor and consumer evaluations, and then chosen by judges.

Vice President of Product Management for Acronis, Dmitri Joukovski, says this, “To be chosen by readers and independent experts who use backup & recovery solutions for virtual servers every day, and understand the challenges and innovations for the technology indicates that we continue to gain traction in the market.”

Acronis performs virtual backup recovery and server management. Onlinestorage.com has provided Acronis Online Storage Reviews to help you determine if Acronis is best for you.

Onlinestorage.com strives to keep you updated on the different online storage backup companies. Let onlinestorage.com help you find the company that best suits your personal and business needs. You can compare companies using our Online Storage Comparison tool or try our FREE Online Storage Advisor Pro.

CloudVerse

One of Cisco’s weapons in the fight to secure cloud clients is its newly introduced CloudVerse platform. Cisco describes CloudVerse as a unifying tool that simplifies the interconnection of diverse clouds, reducing the headache and bottom line for major corporations operating several different private clouds. CloudVerse is also designed to improve the migration experience of smaller public and private companies who are considering getting involved cloud computing for the first time. As a marketing initiative, CloudVerse is a coherent way to present Cisco’s many unique offerings and products to an increasingly competitive global marketplace.

CloudVerse is also meant to deliver some relief to IT managers that must oversee complex data centers and cloud-based systems that are spread throughout the world. As a management platform, CloudVerse aims to accommodate even those complex hybrid networks made up of both private and public elements and can be seen as the latest phase of Cisco’s ongoing strategy to emerge as a dominant force in the world of the cloud. In March of 2011, Cisco again re-affirmed its desire to enter the marketplace as a major contender, when it purchased newScale, a company that designs software which allows IT managers of cloud-based systems to monitor and request services across their diverse networks.

From Hardware to IT Services

Cisco’s latest move to create its own cloud division specializing in Software as a Service and Platform as a Service products that deliver remote management and system automation capabilities to clients demonstrates Cisco’s willingness to invest money into becoming a major player in the cloud market. The restructuring also signals Cisco’s desire to transition from being a provider of network components like switches and routers and server equipment to a provider of direct IT services as well. In addition to releasing new cloud-themed products, Cisco is folding many of its best-selling and most familiar elements into CloudVerse, such as enterprise level communications, video chat, teleconferencing and virtual desktop tools.

By allowing their business clients to take advantage of hosted versions of these productivity tools, Cisco is hoping to court companies looking for computing resource solutions in addition to advanced communications platforms. Cisco hopes the inclusion of familiar components will assist them in securing cloud computing clients within sectors of the communications market they already dominate.

In sprucing up its own infrastructure in preparation for competition in the cloud market, Cisco has developed a few new components under their “cloud intelligent network” that features Cloud-to-Cloud Connect, a means of better interlinking different cloud networks through Cisco’s ASR 1000 and 9000 routers, as well as Cisco Network Services Manager. Cisco Network Services Manager is capable of automatically creating, serving and changing virtual computing resources on-the-fly.