Internet Backup Service

An Internet Backup Service is no different than an online backup service. It’s actually the combination of two services: online file storage and a backup software that connects to it. Most Internet Backup Services work by having the backup software copy the files and directories (or folders) to back up to a remote location, where they are stored with online access so that they can be accessed by the rightful owner (hopefully only the owner) 24/7.

Some Internet Backup Services provide their own propietary software to handle backups locally, while others rely on widely available open source tools and utilities like rsync. They then use the Internet to transfer a copy of all files to the remote server, which can take a while depending on your uplink speed and the amount of data to be backed up. After the first full back up has been achieved, most will go for a syncronization method, like incremental or differential backups so that you don’t have to transfer all your data every day.

Once the backup is stored in the server, it can be handled in different ways, depending on the providers’ policies. Some of them will grant web access to those files, some will require you to use the same program that you used to create the backup to restore it and some more specialized ones will give you a “hard copy option” where they will send a DVD set with all your files at your request.

Internet Backup Services have a huge resposibility in their shoulders as they aren’t always aware of what’s being backed up, which means that they might be storing someone’s personal banking details or maybe some illegal files, that’s why most of them will apply some encryption protection to the files, as that way they can’t be read by other users and they can also take off the responsibility as they aren’t able to scan the contents of each file.

When selecting an Internet Backup Service provider, it’s important to make sure that you are dealing with a reputable company, as it’s been known that there have been companies that have been charging monthly fees for a while and suddenly disappear, causing their entire customer base a high level of discomfort since they don’t know if there’s still a copy of their files somewhere and feeling like they’ve been ripped off.

Having an online backup solution is like health insurance… you pay for it every month and hope to never use it, but whenever you need it, it’s good to know that you have it.