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backing up files online? - 3/14/2009 8:38:24 AM   
LadyEllen


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My new Norton antivirus does it, and now my ISP is offering it - backing up my files and pictures online.

In theory this is a great idea of course - never lose anything again because of system failure or whatever.........

But I wonder; who might have access to the files I back up once they leave my PC? Not that I have anything I feel I need to hide, but lets assume I have written something in Word that might be interpreted by over zealous snoops to represent evidence of "terrorist" sympathies......? If I back up online and these types can then get access.....

What do you think?

E

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/14/2009 8:44:05 AM   
Lordandmaster


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I don't do it, but I see the attraction.  I just back up all my critical files on two separate external hard drives.  I have SyncToy, a useful application that comes with MS Windows (and few people know about), programmed to do this nightly, and it only takes a couple of minutes.  Of course, if my house were to burn down, I'd be left with nothing, so I wouldn't say it's as reliable as backing things up online--but this way at least I know who has access to my documents.

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/14/2009 9:09:49 AM   
blacksword404


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quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyEllen

My new Norton antivirus does it, and now my ISP is offering it - backing up my files and pictures online.

In theory this is a great idea of course - never lose anything again because of system failure or whatever.........

But I wonder; who might have access to the files I back up once they leave my PC? Not that I have anything I feel I need to hide, but lets assume I have written something in Word that might be interpreted by over zealous snoops to represent evidence of "terrorist" sympathies......? If I back up online and these types can then get access.....

What do you think?

E


Basically if you back it up online, anybody who has access to their servers, also has access to your files. Better to keep everything on cd,dvd, or blu-ray. Keep 2 to 3 copies in different places. At least then you have control over who has access to it. Not a bad service that they offer. It makes it easy to backup files. But ease comes with added risk.

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/14/2009 9:23:21 AM   
Anarrus


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Have you considered a usb flash drive? Relatively inexpensive (I bought an 8gb for a little over $20.00). They're very portable... keep in your pocket, purse or safe deposit box. For the price you can make several backups and keep them in different places.

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/14/2009 9:26:23 AM   
Aynne88


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Anarrus is right, those thumb drive portable backups are great. I have three and I take them from home to office and they are so portable that I keep them on my keychain at times. Very accessible, portable and safe.

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/14/2009 10:32:07 AM   
Crush


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Problem with the thumb drives is that they are so small and portable and "misplace-able" that they can be, well, problematic.

If you use one and back up any kind of confidential data, get the ones that encrypt their stored data. 

The three most important words in computing are "Backup, Backup, Backup" and they refer mainly to your data, not your Operating System or Programs.

Keep a copy close.  Another copy distant.  And a third copy "far far away." 

Online storage is OK, but you do have to worry about things like a potential breakdown in communication (what?  my ISP went out?)  or the company going belly up. (Oh crap...I'll never see it again, except maybe on Youtube...DOH!)

Encrypt.  Store in multiple locations.   And watch out for laws regarding any liabilities (especially if it is a company's data you have.)

Of course, you can always use PBB...Prayer Based Backup... (Please God, Keep My Data Safe...)





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RE: backing up files online? - 3/14/2009 11:16:06 AM   
MasterG2kTR


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If you want to back up data there are three inexpensive options.

One already mentioned is the USB drives, in many cases impractical because they are too small in capacity and you would need many if you have any volume of data to backup.

Two, is rewritable DVD's cheap (about 25 cents a disk) and the capacity is modest usually about 4GB per disk.

Three, is my preferred choice. A second hard drive (or in some cases a second array). Hard drives are really cheap these days and you can get a full terrabyte (1000 gigabytes) for about $100. With this method you can also clone your (primary) drive with a fully functional copy of it. If your HD crashes you simply make the clone the boot drive and you are up and running in as little as 10 minutes.

The secondary requirement to any backup is doing a backup on a regular schedule so that the most you would lose is anything not backed up since the last routine.

As for storing on the internet.....I say no thank you, I prefer to keep my data totally private and out of the hands of potentially unscrupulous network admins.

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/14/2009 11:26:29 AM   
FullCircle


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Online backup is easy money for people who want to start a business in IT but don't have any imagination.

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/14/2009 8:27:10 PM   
Arpig


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Not having anything to hide, I back up my files online without worry


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RE: backing up files online? - 3/14/2009 11:40:12 PM   
Termyn8or


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Absolutely positively not, not ever. I would choose to be eaten by a shark first.

I think one of the things to consider is why would they do this for you ? How much does it cost ? So you got a per month fee so that instead of busting fifty pounds or so from your purse for another harddrive you have to write a cheque every month, and hope THEY stay in business.

And anything for free, you are smarter than that. There can be only one reason for anyone to offer something like this for free.

There is nothing in the world that can keep the main system administrator from accessing any file on any drive in that server. That is a fact. You REALLY have nothing to hide ? How much don't you have to hide ? In the US they busted a guy for IMPORTING lobsters that were out of spec and packaged improperly according to the laws of another country. He went to prison. If that can happen here what can happen in a places like the UK, where you have no rights, is downright scary.

DO NOT do it.

T

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/14/2009 11:53:56 PM   
DomKen


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quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyEllen

My new Norton antivirus does it, and now my ISP is offering it - backing up my files and pictures online.

In theory this is a great idea of course - never lose anything again because of system failure or whatever.........

But I wonder; who might have access to the files I back up once they leave my PC? Not that I have anything I feel I need to hide, but lets assume I have written something in Word that might be interpreted by over zealous snoops to represent evidence of "terrorist" sympathies......? If I back up online and these types can then get access.....

What do you think?

E

I use them a lot. I have many thousands of photos and while I have CD's bruned of all of it writable CD's fail occasionally. I also keep copies of all the code I write uploaded so that I'll be able to get it if I am ever involved in an IP dispute.

However I'm not about to let some nosey nancy poke around in my stuff. I got and use PGP (Pretty Good Protection which is a huge understatement) which uses large prime number double key encryption to encrypt my files. This sort of encryption is simply unbreakable. You do need 2 large numbers as keys, one to encrypt the data which I put on my home computer and office machine and emailed to my yahoo account and a couple of other places security of that key doesn't matter since it cannot be used to decrypt. The private key that can decrypt the data exists in 2 places and both are secure but accessible in short order if needed.

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/14/2009 11:59:34 PM   
BKSir


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Anarrus

Have you considered a usb flash drive? Relatively inexpensive (I bought an 8gb for a little over $20.00). They're very portable... keep in your pocket, purse or safe deposit box. For the price you can make several backups and keep them in different places.


I fully agree.  You can easily find 64gb, yes GB, usb flash drives for around $140.  Of course, yeah, you could get about 1.5 TB of hard drive space for that also, but, for most people backing things up like text/doc files and pictures, 64gb is a ton of space.  I like the flash drives because they're small, and you really don't have to worry about hardware failure on them like you would on a hard drive.  Okay, I'll come out and say it, I LOVE solid state technology. ;)

And, as stated, they're easy to store or put somewhere safe, like a safe deposit box.  They don't scratch up like cds/dvds, and often now, they can be easily password protected and/or encrypted.

Nothing to hide or not, my data is just that, mine.  If I want to share it with someone, I will.  I don't want it sitting on someone elses machine that anyone working there could go look at, or if it gets hacked into god only knows.  And, they could always change their terms of service and/or privacy policy at any time, without telling you.  Unlikely, but still.  It's unlikely someone will walk out into the street and get run over by a car, but it still happens every day, doesn't it?

No, I'd think that the jump drives (flash drives/thumb drives/usb drives) would be a more viable option.

*lays two pennies on the table and wanders off for some fresh cinnamon rolls*


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RE: backing up files online? - 3/15/2009 1:01:44 AM   
Termyn8or


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DK, if it works for you fine, but what of those things you might not want the government to know? They can scan those emails and get the key, plus from what I remember it is not only illegal to use that in a foreign country and there is a backdoor to every key, which only the government knows, we think.

A better way might be to write the keys to disk or other device, but even using it makes your computer hot if it is in another country. Regardless of the content, the way the law was written, just decrypting the files could actually land you in jail. Maybe when you get back, who knows. Many people don't know alot about the law, mainly because of selective enforcement. The way it is written just about everything is illegal somehow, and may any and all forces beyond our understanding and sheer luck help you if you ever become a target.

The laws may have laxed lately due to increased globalism, but I would still be careful in that regard. In days when we have people in India able to access our supposedly private medical records, legal records and so forth, I shun all of this. Just how much code can you write ? Harddrives are cheap. I like that alot better.

Speaking of code, do you think you're able to setup an oscilliscope using a PC ? There was an old one that used the soundcard, but I need some real bandwidth, 60Mhz would do. If you can do that I can make you rich, or richer. The interface will have to be firewire or something that can support the bandwidth. Addon cards, like in a PCI slot would not be that good as some would want to use a laptop for this. I could probably handle the interface, can you handle the data ? I also have some ideas about certain features like a cache for the data and the saving thereof, so a technician can look at it later. Multiple channels are required, but the full bandwidth may not be required in all instances. Depends on the application. Digital scopes cost alot of money, come up with a doodad like this and I think there is a good potential, even in this rotten dried out economy. I know what would be useful, what would be innovations, and how to build a good part of the interface. What I don't know about is the software end of it. If interested, you know how to get ahold of me. Bear in mind, I think we could sell these worldwide. My set of extra features would clinch it for most.

At any rate, getting back to the point.In MY case I would never consider an online backup.

Right now I would be happy with some FTP space, but I have not persued that because there is alot going on. Dad is dying and the property situation is in a state of flux, as we would like to avoid probate. Thoughts of that are in focus except for when I take a break and rabblerouse here and a few other things, but when it comes to making money, I will MAKE the time.

I know that others' situations might be different, and selective online backup I see as nothing much different than FTP space. But if you knew what is on my PC you might agree that it's not for me.

Going for total backup ? Well my old dinosaur here says press F12 to boot from network, so are we heading towards maybe even the OS being online, and the motherboard basic just gets it connected and it can boot even without a harddrive at all ? While that might seem cool, I forsee many pitfalls. If your communication method with the internet fails, you can't work on your book or term paper. Whatever. Seems farfetched right now but that is the next logical step, forget the harddrive, purchase, install and use even the OS itself from the server.

I don't know about you, but I don't like that idea at all.

T

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/15/2009 2:54:25 AM   
VanessaChaland


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CD, DVD, Flash/Jump Drive, external storage device, I would always, always advise storing anything that means anything to you on something that can be "unplugged" from your computer and ketp safely elsewhere. Its not only a matter of privacy, but what if the people "backing you up" are not properly "backed up". I've had whole websites disappear due to no TAR files by a hosting company that claimed they were backing everything up. Better safe, in your hands and control, rather than sorry. :)

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/15/2009 3:15:00 AM   
4u2spoil


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I started using online backup when my hard drive started giving dying signs last year. Glad I did. I had a physical backup on an external drive, but to get back up quickly the online files were invaluable. I use Mozy Home, which has a secure option and stores things similar to the way banks do. I backup emails and documents there.

For programs and more expansive files, consider an imaging program that can create a bootable drive. I use a program from a company called Acronis, and can mount my old drive virtually and get any old information from it (copying it to my new hard drive didn't work, since certain areas were corrupted). In short, for things you need immediate access to, go with online backup. For important, but non-essential things backup to an external hard drive. It gives a decent balance between privacy and prevention of data loss.



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RE: backing up files online? - 3/15/2009 4:21:49 AM   
WetBetty


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This is a timely thread LadyEllen. Do you mean ntlworld? I have just received an email from Richard Branson himself offering online storage and promising extra speed for downloads. Believe this is an offer to maintain or increase market share against those who aren't doing the same thing.
I've been using rewritable DVDs for system and picture files, but movie and music files consume many discs which can die or get lost. There is some good advice here and if I can get a tech head to help me, I think an external hard drive would be very useful.
True web TV will be with us soon and access to any information, telephony, movie or TV show through home digital entertainment systems should be available.
However, I do like the idea of having my own stuff as mine and being able to withdraw from the digital society if I wish.

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/15/2009 6:26:57 AM   
LadyEllen


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Indeed WB - "a personal email from Richard Branson" is what provoked this, although as mentioned my Norton insists on backing up stuff online too, though I think I've managed to stymy that for the moment.

There are so many issues here - yes, the unscrupulous snoop at the ISP and government agencies snooping about (I seem to recall they are putting pressure on ISPs to monitor web access and this would be a next logical step), there is the "simple" privacy issue too. And then what of aspiring authors' and inventors' work getting copied and stolen - yes there are copyright laws in place but the reality is that most of us could never dream of having the wealth required to pursue a suit for copyright?

There is an argument that criminals and/or terrorists might be detected if snoops are allowed to view files backed up online, but this is pretty obviously a stupid premise; whilst maybe some terrorist might be daft enough to back up his plans for world domination online and get caught that way its a bit unlikely given that I would expect such matters are covered in How To Be A Terrorist 101. But we know from experience that once something like this is in place then it is a short step that brooks little opposition for security and police services to gain access on the grounds of suspicion of an individual or group - CollarMe users being a group for such purposes. And we also know that government agencies already use trawling software to pick up keywords in communications - the application of such in relation to files backed up online would be a simple matter.

As for my backup - yes I use hard copies (in paper too for important stuff) and work stuff is treated the same along with (because we have several offices) files emailed from one office to another in a circle such that if one office goes down the other two offices have the data available to restore the failure.

E

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/15/2009 7:38:39 AM   
camille65


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When my life was chaotic for awhile and I was bouncing among different pcs and places, I used DellDataSafe. The only thing I didn't upload were MyDocs. It was free and handy at a time when I needed something like that.

I use a journal site and have yet to back all that up but I haven't figured out an easy way to do it. Jeez I would hate to lose the last 4 years of my writings.


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RE: backing up files online? - 3/15/2009 12:25:16 PM   
DomKen


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Termyn8or

DK, if it works for you fine, but what of those things you might not want the government to know? They can scan those emails and get the key, plus from what I remember it is not only illegal to use that in a foreign country and there is a backdoor to every key, which only the government knows, we think.

To be blunt you don't know what you're talking about. The only key that has ever been sent in email is the public key and that is useless for decrypting. It is meant to be distributed so others can encrypt messages that only you cand ecrypt. There is no backdoor into the double key encryption scheme. You have to have the private key period. The private key was genereated along with several thousand others while my computer wasn't online and immediately copied onto a two flash drives along with all the others. So you need to get the flashdrives, one stored with my rather nasty lawyer and one in a safe deposit box in a combination locked box, and figure out which of 20k keys is the right one. You want to go to that much trouble to look at my data then go for it.

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RE: backing up files online? - 3/15/2009 4:39:56 PM   
LookieNoNookie


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quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyEllen

My new Norton antivirus does it, and now my ISP is offering it - backing up my files and pictures online.

In theory this is a great idea of course - never lose anything again because of system failure or whatever.........

But I wonder; who might have access to the files I back up once they leave my PC? Not that I have anything I feel I need to hide, but lets assume I have written something in Word that might be interpreted by over zealous snoops to represent evidence of "terrorist" sympathies......? If I back up online and these types can then get access.....

What do you think?

E


Here's what I think:

$15.00 a month for offline professional back up....$100.00 for a portable backup device that can be taken elsewhere for fire or other protection...or...

http://www.cucku.com/


(in reply to LadyEllen)
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