Posts Tagged ‘Carbonite’

Carbonite vs Mozy Home: Which Service Holds the Edge for Online Backup?

Carbonite vs Mozy Home is the ultimate match-up between two of the leading online backup services available today. In this day in age where data loss, virus attacks, computer crashes, and theft are too common, it’s imperative computer files are backed up regularly and that’s where these two providers come into play. So why only compare Carbonite vs Mozy Home? The answer is easy. These are the two most popular and widely used online backup services for home users right now. They dominate this market because they both are easy to use and very inexpensive. The real question is, which one is best? Let’s take a look at some of the most important areas to evaluate when it comes to online backup and see how these two providers compare.Cost & Storage CapacityThe amount of data you can backup online and the cost of doing so are probably the two areas of concern that come to mind immediately for home users contemplating which backup provider to choose. Both Carbonite and Mozy Home offer unlimited backup. It doesn’t matter if you have a few files to backup or several thousand, you won’t have anything to worry about with either provider. Carbonite offers one, two, and three year subscriptions. The one year subscription costs $54.95. Mozy Home offers a month-to-month plan and one and two year subscriptions. Their month-to-month plan costs $4.95/month while their one year subscriptions are $54.45. Ease of UseBoth providers promise their services are easy to use and that the backup process when using their services is literally “set and forget.” According to most users of both services, Carbonite and Mozy Home deliver on those promises. There is one common complaint, however, for both providers and that is the time it takes for the initial backup. It’s important to point out that this isn’t the fault of either service provider. The time it takes for the initial backup is totally dependent on amount of the data that needs to be backed up and the speed of your Internet connection. If you have 30GB of data that needs to be backed up initially it will take roughly the same amount of time using either one of these providers because of the constraints of upload speeds of most Internet connections.While the match up in this area seems to be even, Carbonite takes the slight edge over Mozy Home according to users because of its simple interface. Mozy Home has more advanced settings within its interface which may satisfy computer geeks but it seems to be overwhelming for some home users.? Backup Process and Security Carbonite and Mozy Home both allow automatic or scheduled backups so that you can just install the software, run the initial backup and select your backup settings (automatic or scheduled), and then just literally forget about it. As for security, both of these online backup service providers use advanced technology to ensure that your files are encrypted on your computer before they are uploaded to their secured servers. Both services keep your files encrypted while being stored on their servers.Restoring FilesCarbonite uses a standard process for restoring files which is activated simply by using the restore function in the software’s desktop interface. With Mozy Home, you can restore your files using one of three methods: desktop interface restore, web restore, and DVD restore. It is also important to note that with both Carbonite and Mozy Home, restoring a large set of data and files can take a while so if you have 30GB of data to restore, don’t expect to have it back on your computer within a few hours. Instead, it can take a few days.? Customer SupportIn this category, users of both services say their is need for improvement. There have been comments from users of both providers that support can be slow at responding to customer queries and that the information they are given isn’t complete and thorough. Overall, Carbonite has the edge because it offers phone, live chat, and email support. Mozy Home only offers live chat and email support. Carbonite vs Mozy Home SummaryJudging from the above feature-for-feature match up, Carbonite and Mozy Home are virtually identical in price and features so it’s difficult to declare an absolute winner. Neither one is perfect but you shouldn’t expect that when you’re getting unlimited online storage for less than $5/month. For every customer that swears by Carbonite, there is one that swears by Mozy Home. The match up is virtually dead even.The best thing to do is to try both services to see which one works best for you and to decide which one you like the best. Both services are incredibly cheap and easy to test. Carbonite backup offers a free 15-day trial and Mozy Home has a month-to-month option that only costs $4.95/month. Take them both for a test drive and see for yourself which one is the winner!

Read the full Carbonite vs Mozy Home comparison and review and see which one is declared the “Editor’s Choice” by the editor of the website, best online storage.

Click Here to Try Carbonite Online Backup FREE for 15 days and back up your irreplaceable files automatically and securely. No credit card required!

Carbonite Review: An Honest Look at the Carbonite Backup Service

Carbonite backup is one the many online backup storage services available in the market today which are designed to provide alternative backup protection in the event of computer failures or natural catastrophes.? This Carbonite review takes a closer look at the service and evaluates its features to see how it keeps up with the demands of the times.Carbonite Backup Basic FeaturesFor an annual subscription fee of $54.95, the service offers unlimited backup capacity, encryption technology for secure storage, a convenient backup process, and technical support through phone, live chat, or email. It is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Mac.Carbonite uses a single type of service which is applicable both for personal and business use. Currently, the service is free for a 15-day trial period with no credit card required.ProsCarbonite users are completely impressed and satisfied with many of this online backup service’s features, among them: Ease of Use – It is easy to set-up and use. The installation is fast and simple and the backup process is easy to follow.Security ? Files are encrypted before leaving your computer and are stored encrypted on Carbonite’s secured servers, completely safeguarding them from unauthorized access. Background Worker ? This online storage backup facility functions quietly in the background without slowing down your computer or causing any disruption to your work.? Automatic Backup ? After the quick installation and initial backup, you can practically forget about it. Most file types are automatically backed up so you don’t even have to think about doing the task yourself. Reliable Service at a Small Cost ? Carbonite backup offers a very affordable way of keeping your files secure. At less than $5/month, that’s a small price to pay for convenience and peace of mind. ConsDespite its strengths, however, the it is by no means perfect. In fact, there are a number of areas where users hope to see some enhancements on in the near future.For one, while Carbonite’s customer support is better than most it still needs improvement according to some users. Some have complained that their queries aren’t answered as quickly as they’d like and the information they get isn’t as thorough as they had hoped. The fact they offer phone, chat, and email support is a good move, but they also have to pay more attention to the quality of help that they are giving, say some users.Restoring files in volume or doing so to another operating system (e.g. Windows XP to Vista) has proven to be a difficult experience for some. Since the main intention of having an online storage backup is to have access to your files anytime you may need them, a complicated retrieval process can discourage users from utilizing the service.It would also be good to remember that Carbonite’s automatic backup function only works for documents, photos, music files, email, and settings. Videos, programs files, and large individual files need to be selected for backup manually. However, once you select those files, they are automatically backed up from that point forward. This is very important to point out because some users have complained that they lost their videos after their computer crashed because they assumed they were being backed up when they were not. Carbonite Review Summary Carbonite is one of the more reliable online backup services available today. It places a lot of emphasis on ease of use and security, which are two of the main considerations that home users look for. However, it is not perfect but none of these services are. There has to be some comprimise when you’re paying less than $5/month for unlimited online backup. The good news is, Carbonite and services similar to it continue to improve every year.

Before you make your decision, be sure to read the detailed Carbonite backup review here. Then be sure to read the Carbonite vs Mozy analysis to see how it stacks up against the other popular online backup service for the home user.

Click Here to Try Carbonite Online Backup FREE for 15 days and back up your irreplaceable files automatically and securely. No credit card required!