Online File Storage and Backup Solutions

Your computer holds many files, such as Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, MP3s and videos. Now, what if your hard disk crashes? You should always have another copy of the data that you need, so that you don't end up in depression in case your computer crashes. There are many online backup solutions that allow you to store files on the web. There are also free storage sites that let you store the files that you don't necessarily want to backup.

However, you will need a fast upload speed and a reliable connection for backing up files online, everyday. There are also some precautions that you need to take, when using these services. Always keep in mind that if the site's server crashes, or if the dot com company goes bust, you can lose all your data. So, remember to make another backup of all important files on a CD or a DVD. Moreover, these online file storage sites are not secure, so you should encrypt your files before uploading them. Even though you may have taken all the measures to keep your data secure, there is a possibility that hackers will access your files.

It is preferable to let these websites keep a backup of your data, because they are located outside your premises and hence, cannot be affected by the problems that come up at your place. Most backup sites allow you to stream audio and video files. You can create folders and move or delete files. There may also be a graphical user interface to manage the files. All remote backup sites allow the restoring of files, which is basically just the downloading of the files from the site to your hard disk, in case you've lost your data.

If you store movies on your hard disk, and if you run out of space, use a storage site. According to a PC World article (2006), the best backup site is IBackup, the best storage site is GoDaddy and the best sharing site is 4shared.

• GoDaddy allows you to create a link to its Online File Folder, in your computer's 'My Network Places' (which is found in Windows Explorer). You can even compress files and encrypt them for security. You can synchronize your Online File Folder with a desktop folder, which means creating a connection between them.
• Streamload's MediaMax is one site that places all photos in one folder and all songs in another folder. You can also choose to play many songs at once, like in a playlist. The only drawback of MediaMax is in the difficulty faced, while uploading many files at a time.
• IBackup doesn't need the user, who is seeing (watching/using) the shared file, to have an IBackup account.
• XDrive allows users to see the audio and video files on a cell phone. However, XDrive sometimes gives you errors.
• FirstBackup doesn't allow you to schedule backups, when your computer is sleeping.
• Data Deposit Box, on the other hand, doesn't allow immediate backup, but it does let users to send links to shared files by email.
• ElephantDrive only works with Windows and not Mac or Linux, because the site was built using the .Net framework and not Java technology.
• Box.net allows you to tag files or folders with keywords.
• Simdesk lets you collaborate with other groups in your business. You can also share a printer in the office LAN and print a file, when you're at home or on the road.
• FlipDrive has a simple interface and compresses the files before downloading them, so that the file hierarchy is saved. However, you cannot download high resolution versions of images.
• Online Storage Solutions work like a FTP account and you can use Novell Netdrive to map the online drive.

You can share files by attaching them to an email sent to the receiver. However, this clogs up the bandwidth of both the sender's and the recipient's connections. The alternative is to use one of the file-sharing sites.

• 4shared allows you to control the privacy of files, by marking them as public or private and also keeps count of the number of files that have been downloaded.
• Groove Virtual Office allows you to share Word, PowerPoint and Excel files. You can insert important dates into a shared calendar, and send emails while you're inside Groove. You can adjust permissions to select reviewers of documents and follow revisions.
• WebEx acquired Intranets.com and its WebOffice is an entirely browser-based sharing site. It automatically sends emails to attendees, reminding them that they have to be present at the meeting. You can arrange and organize meetings and add the documents and plan for them. You can have public and private calendars and thus avoid conflicts in the schedule. It works with Palm, but not with Windows Mobile and Blackberry.
• Rapidshare allows you to share files and the files stay on the server, as long as they are downloaded at least once a month.
• YouSendIt has a simple interface and sends an email to the recipient containing a message from the sender. The sender also receives a confirmation email informing him that the file has been uploaded. There is also a contacts list, that has the names of all the recipients.

The future of online file storage and backup is that the users will get more and more space to store their data, through the dot com companies. Data will be mashed from various sources, and data will be available from anywhere. Businesses that want to store their data on the Internet can turn to services like Amazon S3. In the future, some businesses may outsource storage, while cell phones will be used to upload data. Video sharing sites like YouTube will need to store gigabytes of data. Peer-to-peer sharing software like BitTorrent will continue to thrive.