Online Storage
- How to Choose The Best Provider
There are over a hundred online backup providers all claiming they are the best thing since sliced bread. So how do you choose the best online backup solution to meet your needs? To ensure you make the best decision, there are several questions to ask each provider. Start with the usual warmup questions like‘tell me about your company’ and 'how long has the company been in business?', then try to ascertain their financial status and whether they are independant or owned by a larger company / corporation. The next step is to start digging a little deeper about their product offerings by asking:
Do you offer a free trial period?
Most online backup providers offer a free trial or completely free version of their products. This is a great way to try out the online backup solution. You can conduct a test to see how long it would take to send and especially to recover your data before an emergency situation occurs. As well as get a feel for the product to see if you like the way it works and you are comfortuble with it.
Where are your data centers located?
The main data center should be located geographically distant from your own location to minimise the likelihood of both you and your provider being caught in the same disaster. A good rule of thumb would be over 100-miles away, but there’s nothing wrong with spreading it out further and these days it is fairly normal for the best online storage providers to spread the data over 2 or 3 geographically diverse locations so that in the event of a major catastrophy your data is still safe and secure.
How secure is your service and your storage facility?
Ask about encryption, firewalls, uninterruptible power supply, backup generators, raised flooring, and cabling compliance. Who will have access to my data? What is your own company’s backup policy? What are the physical safeguards on the servers? 24/7/365 security?
How are costs determined?
Components that impact the cost of the online backup solution are:
- The total amount of data being backed up
- The number of devices that need backing up
- Do you need to backup any 'Servers'
- The number of versions of files being stored
- Additional charges for going over storage limits
You need to work out your requirements - adding at least 50% to the storage space needed to allow for growth. The ask each provider firstly, if they provide the services you require and secondly, what the costs will be.
Can you provide customer testimonials and may I speak with a few of them?
Always ask for references, period.
What happens to my data if you go out of business?
No company wants to believe they will ever fail, however, it does happen and any online backup provider that has not put a contingency in place for such a situation should be avoided. You should also ask: 'how quickly will I get my files back and in what form?'
Now you may be thinking:
"I Don't have time to do all that!"
Doing all of the above is necassary. However, most people don't have - or want to spend - the time needed to go through that checklist with dozens of providers. Relax. That's where we come in. We have done all the legwork for you! We have interviewed each of the main online storage providers and we have tried each of the products they offer.
We rank the products according to their technical abilities, features and user friendliness. However, that does not mean that our #1 pick is the best solution for you. Find the features you need and then use our comparison chart to match those features to available products. If you find multiple products that meet all your needs then start looking at your wishlist. If you get completly stuck, contact us and we'll help you through to a final decision.
Click here to see our comparison chart of the best online backup solutions providers.
Click here to see our ever expanding list of in-depth reviews on online storage providers.
Happy hunting!
