backup

Do you know the difference between online storage and online backup?

Online Storage has become a popular way to have a copy of your files and folders in the Cloud, available from anywhere and to share with others. If you are working in a team and you’re not all in the same location then it works well. It is essentially a replicated image of your local folders and so could be deemed a “backup” in that sense and yes, it is important to have a second copy of your files.

Here though is the distinction of replication, which is essentially what Online Storage is, versus backup. With online replication a file deleted on your local folder will also deleted on the online copy at the next synchronization. If you need that file back and you catch it before that synchronization occurs you may be okay. Chances are though that you won’t notice until later and it is too late, your file is gone.

Online Backup on the other hand, will keep a copy of that deleted file for a period of time so that you can indeed retrieve it if you deleted it in error. The time window to retrieve an older file, called the retention period, will differ between Online Backup providers and can often be set by you. The length of time you can keep old file copies is usually dependent on the amount of backup disk space you have but with enough space you could go back months, even years.

Both Online Storage and Online Backup are efficient ways to use the Cloud. However even if you are using Online Storage you should also be backing those same files up to an Online Backup Service that will allow you to retrieve historical versions of your files, and deleted files.

It only takes once to wish you had.

CloudPockets provides Online Backup Services. You can try our Cloud Backup Software free for 15 days.

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