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Hard Drive Data Backup Service Requirement: Causes, Benefits and Options
The movement from books to e-books, from letters and postcards to emails and social media, from photos to Flickr and from magazines, newspapers & journals to online article databases has resulted in massive digitization of content. Since the inception of the Internet, a decade ago, the way of information consumption has altered thoroughly. Today, we want everything on our TVs, PCs, tablets, smartphones or e-readers. Information or precisely speaking ‘data’ is the vital aspect of our life – whether at home or office, or even on the move, we need them everywhere. While we celebrate the benefits of digitization – smooth and faster access, anywhere and anytime availability, – we need to be cautious against the subtle risks that come along with i.e., data loss, caused by:
• Hardware failure, including damage by power surge and drive failure (42%)
• Human error, including accidental deletion (31%)
• Software file corruption (13%)
• Virus-infection (7%)
• Theft, especially laptop theft, (5%)
• Hardware loss, including floods, fires, lightning, power failure (3%)
Keeping in mind, the hardware vulnerability, where hard-drive failure is the most prominent one, it has become essential to go for hard drive data backup service. There is no qualm of options again, you can go with external hard-drive, CDs/DVDs/Blu-Ray, etc. But none can match the liberty facilitated by cloud backup. With a cloud-backup account, you can access your hard drive data anywhere, anytime, and across any device. Operating systems and platforms will not be a barrier, as cloud backup is independent of that technological aspects. Moreover, simple deployment, maximum uptime, unified solution, and impeccable security along with centralized management are other salient features garnering the attention of users.
Today, hard drive data backup service is available from different vendors. A few have been discussed below:
Dropbox
• Free space: 2GB (plus up to 16GB for referrals)
• Premium space: US$99 per year for 100GB
• File size limit: Unlimited (via desktop app)
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, BlackBerry
• Best for: Seamless document syncing
• Try Dropbox
Microsoft SkyDrive
• Free space: 7GB
• Premium space: £32/US$50 per year for 100GB
• File size limit: 2GB
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Windows Phone
• Best for: Windows/MS Office integration
• Try Microsoft SkyDrive
Google Drive
• Free space: 15GB
• Premium space: $59.88 per year for 100GB
• File size limit: 10GB
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
• Best for: Storage space and web apps
• Try Google Drive
Apple iCloud
• Free space: 5GB
• Premium space: £70/US$100 per year for 50GB
• File size limit: 25MB free/250MB paid
• Platforms: Mac, iOS, Windows
• Best for: Heavy iTunes/Mac users
• Try Apple iCloud
Amazon Cloud Drive
• Free space: 5GB
• Premium space: £32 per year for 100GB
• File size limit: 2GB per file
• Platforms: Mac, iOS, Android, Windows
• Best for: Photos and music
• Try Amazon Cloud Drive
BackupRunner
• Free space: 5GB
• Premium space: $9.99/month per year for 100GB
• File size limit: 2GB per file
• Platforms: Mac, iOS, Android, Windows
• Best for: Photos and music
• Try BackupRunner Cloud Drive
Above discussed pricing or plans are just for home technology users. Businesses can also seek hard drive cloud backup services according to their disk space, bandwidth and compliance requirements. The technology is helping businesses to save a lot in terms of infrastructure and data security. Besides, quick and easy data sync across different devices help them to keep their employees informed and productive with the right data or information.
• Hardware failure, including damage by power surge and drive failure (42%)
• Human error, including accidental deletion (31%)
• Software file corruption (13%)
• Virus-infection (7%)
• Theft, especially laptop theft, (5%)
• Hardware loss, including floods, fires, lightning, power failure (3%)
Keeping in mind, the hardware vulnerability, where hard-drive failure is the most prominent one, it has become essential to go for hard drive data backup service. There is no qualm of options again, you can go with external hard-drive, CDs/DVDs/Blu-Ray, etc. But none can match the liberty facilitated by cloud backup. With a cloud-backup account, you can access your hard drive data anywhere, anytime, and across any device. Operating systems and platforms will not be a barrier, as cloud backup is independent of that technological aspects. Moreover, simple deployment, maximum uptime, unified solution, and impeccable security along with centralized management are other salient features garnering the attention of users.
Today, hard drive data backup service is available from different vendors. A few have been discussed below:
Dropbox
• Free space: 2GB (plus up to 16GB for referrals)
• Premium space: US$99 per year for 100GB
• File size limit: Unlimited (via desktop app)
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, BlackBerry
• Best for: Seamless document syncing
• Try Dropbox
Microsoft SkyDrive
• Free space: 7GB
• Premium space: £32/US$50 per year for 100GB
• File size limit: 2GB
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Windows Phone
• Best for: Windows/MS Office integration
• Try Microsoft SkyDrive
Google Drive
• Free space: 15GB
• Premium space: $59.88 per year for 100GB
• File size limit: 10GB
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
• Best for: Storage space and web apps
• Try Google Drive
Apple iCloud
• Free space: 5GB
• Premium space: £70/US$100 per year for 50GB
• File size limit: 25MB free/250MB paid
• Platforms: Mac, iOS, Windows
• Best for: Heavy iTunes/Mac users
• Try Apple iCloud
Amazon Cloud Drive
• Free space: 5GB
• Premium space: £32 per year for 100GB
• File size limit: 2GB per file
• Platforms: Mac, iOS, Android, Windows
• Best for: Photos and music
• Try Amazon Cloud Drive
BackupRunner
• Free space: 5GB
• Premium space: $9.99/month per year for 100GB
• File size limit: 2GB per file
• Platforms: Mac, iOS, Android, Windows
• Best for: Photos and music
• Try BackupRunner Cloud Drive
Above discussed pricing or plans are just for home technology users. Businesses can also seek hard drive cloud backup services according to their disk space, bandwidth and compliance requirements. The technology is helping businesses to save a lot in terms of infrastructure and data security. Besides, quick and easy data sync across different devices help them to keep their employees informed and productive with the right data or information.
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