tal backup every second day at 2am, for example, ensures the safety of your data. A possible disadvantage here is that if your network goes down, you might not be able to get your data back for some time. Laptop users might not always be connected
to the network at the scheduled backup time, defeating the purpose entirely.
Offsite backup through FTP:
Another form of offsite backup uses a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server over the Internet. FTP is traditionally used to move large files online and can reliably transfer any files of any size.
To access data stored on an FTP server, you can use your backup program, a special FTP client or just a regular web browser. While there are two "types" of FTP server, public and private, you will almost certainly be using a private server, which requires a password to access your data. Advantages of this method include that you can view the files stored on the FTP any time you wish using any FTP client, mobile users can back up from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection, and FTP backup can be somewhat cheaper than a specialised remote backup service.
The main disadvantage inherent in this method is data security. The FTP protocol is not secure, and even a private FTP account does not ensure the security of your files, it only protects access to the FTP server. Anyone with access to your username and password has access to your data. Added to this, unless you take steps to protect it, your data will be unencrypted as it travels to the FTP server, and could possibly be intercepted. We recommend that you encrypt your files before sending them.
One option is to store your data in a standard password-protected ZIP archive. This is a quick method that allows you to extract your files on an.computer using any ZIP client. There are ZIP programs that provide tighter security by applying stronger encryption algorithms, like AES or Blowfish. This increases the security of your data, but to decrypt your files you may need to use the program that encrypted and backed them up.
To obtain access to a private FTP server, find a good hostin.company (try searching with Google) an.compare based on price and location .companies with servers based in your country will usually be faster. Beware that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) might charge you for the data you send, so you may wish to make incremental backups over FTP, which only backup what was changed since your last backup.
Specialised offsite backup:
Another form of offsite backup is the use of a special server provided by th.company that makes your backup solution. They usually use their own protocols to encrypt and transfer your data, and a special program on their end to store it. You may have some issues using such services if you're behind a firewall, as some of these services use non-standard Internet Protocol (IP) ports.
Offsite backup services are usually paid for by the month, by the amount of data transferred or both. They can be quite expensive, especially if you wish to back up a lot of data, or use the service over a long period of time. As with FTP servers, you may also be charged by your ISP to send your data.
Still, offsite backup services represent a convenient method, as they'll usually be built right into backup programs that support the feature. Ensure the credentials of th.company you're dealing with, as an offsite backup service is pointless if your backu.company happens to shut up shop or "can't find" your data - just as your hard drive fails.
backup-platinum.com/offsite-backup-article.html Offsite Backup: Benefits and Threats Unveiled
About Author: Jonathan Tunn is a staff writer for SoftLogica (
softlogica.com) covering personal technology. He studied Journalism at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, and acquired his IT background at a transnational telecommunication.company. "
