How Safe Is Online Backup?
The question about safety of online backup services has been around since the first companies started offering such services some decades ago. If all your data is uploaded and stored in a remote server, the safety of online data backup service becomes extremely important.
In this article, we will take a closer look at how safe is online backup and which are those different security elements that define safety. Let us clarify first that uploading data to an online server doesn't mean that it will become automatically visible to everyone. Modern online data backup services protect your data with multi-layered security, which means high-grade encryption, sending data over secure connection, saving data in encrypted format, servers' duplication and extremely high level of physical security of servers.
Online Backup Means Additional Safety When your files and folders are saved locally, you have a quite high risk of losing them. Imagine hard disk failure, computer viruses, thefts, fire and flooding accidents, deleting files by accident or overwriting them unwillingly. If you have no backups, you will lose your valuable data forever. Having data backup and keeping it in remote location gives you security, and you will not lose your important data due to a sudden, unexpected event.
Data Safety with Encryption Technology The best online data backup providers offer twice as secure encryption as the leading payment gateways. If you trust Paypal and Amazon with 128-bit encryption technology, the leading online backup services, for example Backblaze, Livedrive, ZipCloud and MyPCBackup, are offering even more secure solutions with 256-bit encryption. This gives even higher guarantee that your files and folders are sent safely and nobody can hack or interrupt sending data to backup server. All listed online backup companies are using the same encrytpion standards for transferring your data from a server back to your computer, so both sending and downloading backup data are secured in the same way.
Additional Encryption on Backup Server Online data backup service providers are doing their best to keep your files and folders safe. The best online backup companies are also offering additional security layer, and are compressing and encrypting the data from server-side. Typically, server-side encryption is done with such advanced technologies like AES or Bluefish, which are both literally unbreakable. Compression helps backup firms to save some disk space and optimize their expenses, so that they are able to offer you services with reasonable prices. Server-side encrytpion gives additional guarantee that there is absolutely no chance for other clients, hackers or rogue employees to access your data.
Reliability of Backup Service Firms Besides technology and encryption technology used, you should carefully check the background of a particular firm. Firstly, find out when they started their operations and how many clients they have. Are their revenues sufficient to cover all investments in hardware, the development of sofware and hiring professional employees? Some companies are using dumping prices to achieve greater growth, in the hope of meeting the ends in the future – no need to mention that it is risky to both online backup companies and clients who decide to use such services. Better use a firm which has a reliable track record, has been there for a while and offers good quality with reasonable prices. We have been screening many companies, and are sure that Backblaze, Livedrive and ZipCloud stands out in the crowd by these criteria.
Physical Security of Backup Servers All top online backup providers have well-established procedures for physical security of their servers. Their buildings are well guarded, doors locked and access is meticulously checked. Surveillance systems are not only monitoring entrances, hallways and rooms, but server equipment as well. Server racks and all disk devices are locked.
All server rooms have cooling and other climate control equipment, automated fire detection and suppress systems. Most importantly, server rooms have uninterruptible power supply, from multiple electricity sources, for case of outages. With backup companies, servers are protected against many possible accidents you haven't even thought about. Professional online backup service means that your data is always protected.
Multiple Hard Disks and Locations Top data backup companies have multiple server centers located in various geographic areas. Your files and folders are copied at least to one other hard disk, in another server. It means that if something happens with the main disk and server, your data is safely preserved in another location and can be recovered from it. Data duplication to additional geographic location adds to the whole backup system another safety dimention, which gives you additional guarantee that your backup copy will be available when you need it the most.
Secure Data Also In Your Computer You yourself can also use some additional safety measures. Firewalls and antivirus programs are strongly advised. If you are still concerned about sensitive data, additional encryption with programs like 7-zip, AxCrypt and FlashCrypt offers safety, which gives you true peace of mind.
It is clear that online data backup companies are doing their best in developing safe server systems to provide you with backup services with highest possible security. With all encryption, duplication of server drives, and top level physical security procedures you can be pretty sure that your data is kept safe on online data backup. | ||
You seem to be interested in this topic. Do you think your friends would like to have their data kept safe, too? Please take a second and share!
