| Backing up documents on your computer's hard drive | | | | thereby offering fast uploading speeds and times. |
| has always been an important part of any computer | | | | Dropbox |
| maintenance schedule, but there is a new option for | | | | Dropbox offers both free and paid file sharing and |
| backing up your data that can now also make it | | | | storage options to its users and is known for its |
| accessible via the World Wide Web and safe from | | | | user-friendly interface. It allows users to move files |
| loss due to hard drive failure or accidental deletion. | | | | they want backed-up by placing them in a simple |
| Storing your personal and business documents online | | | | file-style application. With up to 2 GB of free space |
| is quickly becoming a popular option and part of the | | | | for personal users, it is a good option for backing up |
| Web 2.0 phenomenon. So how can you backup your | | | | important personal files and documents, or a great |
| documents safely online, and what are your options, | | | | option for students. It also has several paid packages |
| both free and paid? | | | | for those who are looking for more storage space. |
| Storing Data on the Web 2.0 | | | | Carbonite |
| Web 2.0 is the popular term for the development of | | | | Carbonite is an unlimited space virtual backup option |
| web-based applications that promote the interactive | | | | that is available for the standard price of $54.95 a |
| nature on the internet. It describes such things as | | | | year. It works by installing a program onto your PC |
| social networking sites like Facebook, interactive | | | | that runs in the background, automatically updating |
| information sharing networks such as Wikipedia, and | | | | your remote backup account without you having to |
| video sharing applications like YouTube. It has also | | | | remember to do it. It uses an interface that |
| changed the way we conduct business and manage | | | | completely integrates with your PC's operating |
| our day-to-day activities. Storing data virtually is just | | | | system, making it simple to use. It also offers the |
| one of the ways we are integrating Web 2.0 into our | | | | same security that many banks use, making it a |
| daily lives. | | | | secure option for businesses and personal documents. |
| Virtual Space Storage Options | | | | Microsoft SkyDrive |
| There are a number of online applications that can | | | | Offered free to anyone with a Microsoft Live |
| offer you both free and paid data storage space. | | | | account, SkyDrive allows users to store up to 25GB |
| Finding an option that can for work for you will | | | | of data for free. Documents can stored as either |
| depend on a number of factors. Here are some of | | | | private, shared or public documents making it a great |
| the most popular free and paid virtual storage | | | | choice for team or group projects. It is not, |
| options, and a breakdown of what they can offer | | | | however, a good choice for a complete hard drive |
| you. | | | | backup option as it does not allow dynamic uploading, |
| Mozy | | | | making the process more difficult and time |
| Mozy is one of the most popular online data backup | | | | consuming. |
| applications on the web. As a paid virtual space | | | | GoogleDocs and Gmail |
| storage option it offers both personal and business | | | | Google offers a number of useful applications to |
| packages. For individuals, unlimited storage space is | | | | anyone that has a free account with them, including |
| offered for only $4.95 per month, and Mozy also | | | | GoogleDocs. This is another great option for |
| offers business packages starting at the same price. | | | | accessing file remotely and sharing files from any |
| The features of Mozy include automatic updating, | | | | location as the GoogleDocs application is part of your |
| encryption, and "smart service" which only updates | | | | Gmail email account. Like SkyDrive, however, it is not |
| files that have been newly created and changed, | | | | a good option for backing up your entire hard drive. |