| Backing up and securing your data can be a constant | | | | Once installed you run the client and you will then be |
| worry especially to a newly formed business. Gone | | | | able to select the files that you want to backup and |
| are the days when you had an IT support team at | | | | also set the schedule for when the backups will run. |
| your disposal that took care of all this stuff. | | | | iDrive also offers continuous data protection, which |
| Thankfully with the advances in technology help is at | | | | basically backs up all your changed data every 10 |
| hand and online backup has become an easy and | | | | mins, giving you complete piece of mind that all your |
| cost effective way of backing up your important files | | | | data is safe and secure. Other key features are as |
| and data. There are many online backup solutions | | | | follows: |
| available, however I am going to focus on a particular | | | | - Mapped drive backup |
| product that I have used with much success. Enter | | | | - Open file backup - This is ideal for Outlook PST |
| iDriveiDrive is simple and easy to use online backup | | | | files, sage and quickbooks company files |
| solution that has a great price point that I think | | | | - Archiving & Sync |
| appeals to any small business. The software also runs | | | | - Web based backup management - Full control of |
| on both Windows PC's and Apple Macs. Show me the | | | | your backups from within your browser |
| money Lets get the money bit out of the way first. | | | | - Full versioning - upto 30 previous versions of a file |
| iDrive offer a variety of pricing plans starting from a | | | | can be restored |
| free 2GB plan which is ideally suited to home users. In | | | | It is also worth mentioning that you can backup your |
| terms of the business plans they are priced as | | | | iPhone and Blackberry contacts as well!! Bring it back |
| follows: | | | | Backing up is one thing but more importantly you |
| - 50GB storage = $9.95 per month or $99.95 yearly | | | | need to get that data back, should things go wrong. |
| - 100GB storage = $19.95 per month or $199.50 | | | | Restoration is as simple as backing up your data. You |
| yearly | | | | simply select the restore tab in the iDrive software, |
| - 500GB Storage = $49.95 per month or $499.50 | | | | select the files you want to retrieve, specify where |
| yearly | | | | they need to be restored to and click restore and |
| I think that is pretty cheap especially when you | | | | iDrive deals with the rest. |
| consider the cost of running traditional tape backups | | | | Is it secure A natural concern whenever you are |
| or worse still backing up to CD/DVD or USB sticks, all | | | | putting your valuable data online. iDrive uses SSL |
| of which bring a whole new set of challenges. For | | | | encryption when uploading and downloading your |
| sure you will find other similar priced alternatives, but | | | | data and the data is encrypted on their servers. I |
| I really like the simplicity that iDrive brings to the | | | | have never had any security concerns and have |
| table which I think sets it above the rest. Back it up | | | | found the service as secure as any other online |
| To get started you simply register an account with | | | | backup provider. Lets face it, its far more secure |
| iDrive and select the price plan that you want to get | | | | than carrying around USB sticks that are easily lost |
| started on. Download the client and follow the | | | | stolen. |
| installation instructions. iDrive have put together a | | | | I think iDrive is a great product which is cheap |
| screencast which takes you through the whole | | | | enough and is very reliable. |
| installation process. | | | | |