Backblaze

I started using Backblaze about a month ago. Backblaze is an offsite backup service. While I try to back things up to DVD every couple months, and I have Time Machine running and backing everything up to an external hard drive, I still felt it was a good thing to also have my stuff backed up offsite. This way if something awful happened, like a robbery, fire or some natural disaster; my important files will have been backed up away from my house.

The service is pretty painless to set up. I started with a free trial, and I saw the upload speed was nice, so I went ahead and signed up. It’s $5 a month for unlimited back up, or $50 a year, so you save $10. If the unthinkable happens and you need to restore your files you have the following options.

  • You can download a zip file, which is the free option. I don’t know how they break up the zips, maybe each file is zipped up; otherwise you’d have a pretty big zip file to download. My initial backup was 46 GB.
  • You can have your files sent over night on DVD(s). This option will run you $99.
  • You can have your files sent on a 160 GB USB Hard Drive. This option will run you $189.

The back-up was painless, and I got great speed, but that also comes from my having the high speed Comcast internet connection. My biggest problem was remembering to leave the computer on so the back-up could take place. I’m used to putting the machine to sleep when it’s not in use.
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