Discussion on:

Review: IBackup online backup service

Do you use one of the online backup systems like iBackup? How well to they work? Are they a good solution for small businesses?

Hi Matthew! Thanks for taking the time to check out IBackup. I wanted to address your three "What's wrong?" bullet points.

For 1 and 2 we're preparing a completely re-designed user interface that will be launched during the last half of this year. For 3, we've always opted to leave the plugin out since only a small percentage of users installs it and it allows us to keep the installer under 10MBs.

~Stephen Gold, Business Development Manager, IBackup.com

I've used iBackup for some years, on more than one system.
I share the experience that the backup navigation is slow, but I've not seen the UI misbehave.
To answer Mark Kaelin's question: I've been plugging online backup a long time, for all sorts of people. The usual reasons: off-site, accessible from any computer with internet access, set-it-up-and-forget-it. The only downsides are the upload speed, particularly for the initial backup set, and I find that non-techy users may need a bit of help setting up. Some online backups provide a 'send-us-a-hard-drive' service which can be good, otherwise I tend to start with the essentials and gradually add more folders/files to the backup set on first installation.

Matt,

Thanks for highlighting IBackup. We are a small business system integrator that has been using IBackup for years. The killer app may be the ability to backup a running Microsoft Exchange database. ProSoftnet has been aggressive with pricing and they are always great to work with.

Matt
http://www.wintechgroup.net

I have seen very mixed results with iBackup. When it works, set it up and simply watch the email messages. The worst I've seen so far is a client site with around 95GB. We have been trying to get a backup to report completed since December of 2011. Here we are at January 30th, 2012 and I'm in chat mode with iBackup India tier two tech support about three times a week. Lots of "work arounds." Today we discovered that if we log off while the Exchange Backup is making local copies, the backup stops with absolutely no notification. We had no idea the iBackup for Windows client software and Exchange Add-in are so buggy until we installed at this client site. The kindest thing I can say about it is that it is a WORK IN PROGRESS. We've concluded that we have been LUCKY with the other client deployments. We are shopping for an alternative. Please - suggestions, recommendations WELCOME. Thanks, Bruce.

I'll continue to keep my backups in a real secure place thank you. Physical media that I own, locked in a large metal safe that I own and cannot be damaged by dropping or movement.
Also less expensive than $10 per month.

Give MyPC Backup a test drive. They are new to online storage scene but are doing great job of getting it right. One of its best feature is the unlimited storage space.


http://trackhelper.com/cpv/base.php?c=81&key=e43be6991cdca83f2454f5114c9ebb0f&placement=techrepublic.com

Dont ever use Ibackup, besides supper slow software that will use tons of resources, small tech support group, they will get you this way:

You sign up for a contract lets say of 100 G. for 10.00 Dollars; The next plan is 20.00 dollars for 250 Gigs. So you are not there at the time.

After 3 months your business grows, and you need now to backup 150 G.

You get an email your out of quota, I mean dont panic, you know you will have to upgrade your plan to the next level of $20.00

No problem correct?

Wrong!

You will be charged insanely instead of going to a new contract.

Sorry Ibackup two thumbs down.