Comments on: Cloud Data Backup Considerations http://www.pcmech.com/article/cloud-data-backup-considerations/ Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:29:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Simon Younghttp://www.pcmech.com/article/cloud-data-backup-considerations/comment-page-1/#comment-38235 Simon Young Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:38:40 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/?p=10889#comment-38235 Jase...you right on....there are concerns with data being compromised or worse the data backup companies failing altogether like carbonite with their 7500 customers the other year...they lost their data.....just lost it all....what I recommend is that you check to see the companies are replicating the data...and not just a snapshot replication every once in awhile they need to do both transactional and snapshot replications to ensure the data can be restored to a proper point in time....many of the big guys do this....its true they encrypt the data before is backed up....but as with any thing data can be compromised...its not quantum mechanics....take care Jase…you right on….there are concerns with data being compromised or worse the data backup companies failing altogether like carbonite with their 7500 customers the other year…they lost their data…..just lost it all….what I recommend is that you check to see the companies are replicating the data…and not just a snapshot replication every once in awhile they need to do both transactional and snapshot replications to ensure the data can be restored to a proper point in time….many of the big guys do this….its true they encrypt the data before is backed up….but as with any thing data can be compromised…its not quantum mechanics….take care

]]> By: Sharron Fieldhttp://www.pcmech.com/article/cloud-data-backup-considerations/comment-page-1/#comment-37303 Sharron Field Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:22:41 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/?p=10889#comment-37303 In answer to your questions: -1. Data transferred is commonly encrypted by a 128 or 256-bit algorithm on your own computer by the small app that you initially installed when you started using the backup service. It is then transmitted as encrypted data to the company and stored as such on their servers until such time as you need it. At that point the encrypted data is transmitted to your computer and unencrypted by means of the same algorithm.This is the case with both Backblaze and Carbonite anyway - Both of which I currently use.2.This point that you make demonstrates the importance of not having all your eggs in one basket: More than one single backup is always a good idea.I backup all my data both online and locally: My XP Pro comp uses Backblaze for online backup, and my Win 7 64-bit comp uses Carbonite. In addition to this I back up each computer to the other, and also copy these backups to external hard-drive.A lot of extra hassle perhaps, but always better to be safe than sorry. Prevention (of data loss) is better than cure. (Panic, and end up starting from scratch again.) In answer to your questions: -

1. Data transferred is commonly encrypted by a 128 or 256-bit algorithm on your own computer by the small app that you initially installed when you started using the backup service. It is then transmitted as encrypted data to the company and stored as such on their servers until such time as you need it. At that point the encrypted data is transmitted to your computer and unencrypted by means of the same algorithm.

This is the case with both Backblaze and Carbonite anyway – Both of which I currently use.

2.This point that you make demonstrates the importance of not having all your eggs in one basket: More than one single backup is always a good idea.

I backup all my data both online and locally: My XP Pro comp uses Backblaze for online backup, and my Win 7 64-bit comp uses Carbonite. In addition to this I back up each computer to the other, and also copy these backups to external hard-drive.

A lot of extra hassle perhaps, but always better to be safe than sorry. Prevention (of data loss) is better than cure. (Panic, and end up starting from scratch again.)

]]> By: Jasehttp://www.pcmech.com/article/cloud-data-backup-considerations/comment-page-1/#comment-37284 Jase Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:54:06 +0000 http://www.pcmech.com/?p=10889#comment-37284 this whole cloud computing thing concerns me a wee bit, speed is the least of the problem1) whats to stop the owners of these sites theiving your personal data (despite whatever their privacy policy says!!) I've seen it happen in a major data warehouse before so you can't try and tell me it doesn't and/or wont,2) what happens if your system/network/all your mates pc's etc go belly up temporarily and you can no longer access 'the cloud' that holds your data when you need it and your only disked copy is corrupt/unreadable, what then?I've heard that software shipped on physical media will soon be a thing of the past, this is a pretty major pitfall if they haven't ironed this out. this whole cloud computing thing concerns me a wee bit, speed is the least of the problem

1) whats to stop the owners of these sites theiving your personal data (despite whatever their privacy policy says!!) I’ve seen it happen in a major data warehouse before so you can’t try and tell me it doesn’t and/or wont,

2) what happens if your system/network/all your mates pc’s etc go belly up temporarily and you can no longer access ‘the cloud’ that holds your data when you need it and your only disked copy is corrupt/unreadable, what then?

I’ve heard that software shipped on physical media will soon be a thing of the past, this is a pretty major pitfall if they haven’t ironed this out.

]]>