Mozy.com
Mozy is an online backup service offered by Utah based Decho Corporation, that provides users with a simple way to keep off-site backups of all their information. The process is fairly simple, you just create an account, download the Mozy software and install it in your computer. Then all you have to do is select the type of backup, backup sets or files and folders you want to back up and schedule your backup processes so that it becomes fully automated. The first time the Mozy software is run, it will create a full backup of the chosen files and directories and will upload it to Mozy’s servers, which are in SAS70 certified datacenters, after the first full backup completes, it will switch to incremental backup mode, where it just uploads blocks (chunks of data) from files that have been modified or created since the last full backup. All transfers are done through 128-bit SSL encrypted connections such as the ones used by online banking systems and once they reach Mozy’s datacenters, they become encrypted using 448-bit BlowFish encryption, one of the stronges encryption algorithms known in the IT industry.
Mozy provdes 3 different account types
MozyHome Free provides 2 Gb of online storage space for free, this is the best way to try Mozy’s online backup services risk free. MozyHome with unlimited backup for $4.95 a month, suited for home users and home based offices. MozyPro for businesses starting at $3.95 + $0.50/Gb for desktop workstations and $6.95 + $0.50/Gb for servers.
One of the features that caught our attention is that Mozy is able to backup files even if they are locked or open (in use by another application), this is very important as there are files that are continuously in use by the operating system or other applications (such as an antivirus scanner) which are skipped by not-so-advanced backup software. Mozy is able to back them up on the fly.
The main features of MozyPro, which is aimed to SMBs, that really make a difference are that it allows the IT manager to schedule and manage multi-user environments backups from a single web-based admin console, that it allows automatic (when idle) and scheduled backups, it’s bandwidth throttling which allows the IT manager to specify how much bandwidth can be used by backup processes and it’s 3 restore options, which include ordering a DVD set with your entire backup so that it can be restored locally.
Mozy Software is available for Windows (2000, XP, 2003 and Vista) and Mac OS X (10.4 and 10.5 in both server and desktop environments).
Mozy’s services have been praised in several technology and finance publications, including The Wall Street Journal and ABC News.