Many people would like to use their online backup service for network data backup. But not all online backup services will allow you to backup network drives. We find out why.
The answer turns out to be surprisingly simple. Many online backup providers offer a flat fee per month pricing structure, allowing their users to backup as much data as they like.
But, there’s a catch! With this business model, the service provider wants you to backup as little as possible, so they restrict what can be backed up. Multiple computers, external hard disks and, yes, network drives are all blocked. We all know the culprits! Mozy, Carbonite etc will all prevent you from backing up your network drives.
So, what’s the alternative?
Dig a little deeper in the online backup marketplace and you’ll find that some providers charge based on the amount of data you want to backup.
So what’s the big deal? I’ll tell you what:
These providers want you to backup as much as possible – so they will allow you to backup just about anything. For example, online backup service provider Angel Backup states in their frequently asked questions:
“We don’t restrict what sort of drives you can backup. It’s simple to backup network drives, external hard drives, even USB flash drives.”
These providers will often allow you to backup entire servers to the internet.
So, when choosing an online backup service provider, make sure you ask yourself if you need to backup multiple computers, external hard disks, or network drives. If internet network data backup is important to you then you’ll need to select a service provider which supports this functionality.
