If you have a local backup with a local backup software, you are in control of the entire process. With a file sync service, you do not have any say on when the service you chose goes down for maintenance, has login issues, locks your account because of an accounting error, your internet goes down, or any other number of things. Reliability also means access to your data when you need it.
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Unlike file syncing services, software that is specifically written for backup should be able to handle the back up of your entire machine, give you an easy to read report of what is restorable, and verify that each file was backed up successfully and if not, alert you to the issue. Typically these syncing services do not give you an easy to read, comprehensible log of what was synced and what is available. They typically sync on the write of a new file, which is great when you are talking about a few files at a time and not your entire machine. Yes every software is going to have some sort of shortfall, but these file sync services were never meant to be backup solutions they were meant to sync and collaborate on files. In regards to my reliability comment, a quick search of your favorite file sync service will show you numerous accounts of lost files and the inability to recover past versions of files (Cryptolocker anyone?). How confident are you with the security of your cloud storage solution provider? Why Reliability is an Issue The simplest explanation that I could come up with on the spot was reliability, flexibility, and security. She remarked how she didn’t understand why people still use tapes and backup software and why everyone doesn’t just put everything on Dropbox. I helped her with that task, which was not a huge issue, but her next comment caught my attention. When the discussion turned to occupations and I said I work for NovaStor and explained what I do, she perked up and instantly asked me about the tapes and how she could get the data off.
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I know it sounds like I go to some really fun parties, but the subject came up because the host’s wife, who is a paralegal, mentioned that she was tasked with figuring out how to get some data off some older SDLT tapes. For instance, I was at a get-together this weekend and the topic of backup came up. There are a number of very smart people out there that believe these cloud storage file syncing services are actually backup services. That being said, file syncing services are not backup, and I run separate backup routines to back up my data so that I know it is safe. File syncing services have a lot of value and are very handy I utilize a number of them for work and personal life for sharing files, collaborating with people, or syncing files across the numerous devices in my life. Notice I say file syncing services and not cloud backup services. I am seeing more and more people embracing ‘The Cloud’ to store their files, be it Dropbox, Onedrive, Google Drive, SkyDrive, Amazon Cloud, or any of the other file syncing services out there.