Back up to the cloud
Cloud backups are very useful if you know what you need
SSo far we’ve looked at backing up to an external drive or to a networked storage drive. But you can also back up to the cloud.
There are several important differences between cloud storage – OneDrive, Dropbox, and so on – and dedicated cloud backup services. The first and most important difference is that cloud storage is designed to give easy access to, and sharing of, files. Cloud backup services don’t do that; their job is to keep data safe and make it available in the event of disaster. In many cases, the only way to get files back is to ask for an entire backup, either as an online download or on physical media such as a USB drive. That’s not a bug. It’s a feature; if you’re not in and out of your backup or letting others use it, it’s less likely to be compromised or damaged. That’s why cloud backup services generally offer end-to-end encryption too, ensuring that your data can’t be intercepted when it’s being uploaded.
The second difference is that cloud backup apps update automatically no matter where your files and data are located. With cloud storage it’s usually a case of ‘if it’s in this folder we’ll sync it, and if it isn’t we won’t’. Another key difference is that backup services such as CrashPlan and Backblaze have file versioning, so you can rewind the clock
in the event of malware or ransomware. Some cloud services have that too, but not to the same extent and not usually for many different versions of the same documents. For example, Dropbox Rewind only goes back 30 days.
Last but not least, there’s storage. Some cloud storage can be pricey, but cloud backup services tend to offer very large or even unlimited storage for around $7 to $10 (about £7 to £10) per month. That’s great if you have a lot of stuff to keep safe.
As a rule, if you’re looking for easy and effective file, photo or media sharing, cloud storage – whether iCloud or third-party – is the best option. But for securely and effectively backing up crucial data you can’t afford to lose, cloud backup is the better option. As much as we like Dropbox, OneDrive, and the rest, they’re not designed as backup services and we wouldn’t recommend using them as such.