Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Need Cost-Effective Cloud Backup?


I've been searching for a good cloud backup strategy for 4 years. I've tried several, and found that they all got REALLY expensive when we started looking for backup of over 100 Gb. My first cloud backup provider, MyPCBackup, just did a "bait and switch", deciding to add a premium for backing up videos (in addition to a per-Gb storage cost. I'm voting with my feet. 

A friend called to ask "How can I back up on Amazon Web Services (AWS)?" Good question, as I was an AWS user for cost-effective storage and streaming of videos on my website, so I started looking. 


I've recently tested the Cloudberry Backup client, using AWS as the storage site. Interesting idea - you buy a cost-effective client (Cloudberry) and then link to a low-cost bulk storage provider (AWS). 


I gotta say this is one of the slickest, simplest backup clients I've ever seen. Easy to pick and choose what you want backed up, and the bonus is it's not a compressed file that you need a client to decode. It's the real file structure, readily available file by file, using an AWS client (I use S3 Organizer). So, your backup files become cloud-accessible, any time, any place, as a side benefit. 


One thing you'll notice is it takes a LONG time initially to upload a few hundred Gb of backups -- perhaps multiple days, during which your local bandwidth may be impaired, particularly if you're using IPTV or have other demands on your incoming bandwidth. That goes away after all the files are up and you're just processing file changes and adds on a nightly basis. 


I think this may drop my backup costs by 60% or more.

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