Mozy Online Backup
Mozy Online Backup is a recognizable name when it comes to cloud backup. Our team investigated and found it to be a good contender for the top spot although it does lack features and easy use that we have seen with other services. With top security, the ability to sync amongst multiple computers and devices, and an easy to use interface, Mozy proves itself worthy.
Mozy’s features allow you to choose when your backups will run. This comes in handy because it lets you decide when and how often your backups will occur, instead of having to base your schedule around backing up your files. Mozy can back up your servers, as well as your desktop computers and laptops, making it a flexible business option. This service also offers a sync option, which allows you to save your work from any computer or device to this sync folder, where it will automatically be available on your other devices. Another option that stands out is the ability to throttle your bandwidth being used, furthering your convenience and freeing up valuable resources for other tasks.
When you need to access and restore your files, Mozy has several access options. Mozy’s ProClient software allows you to access your files via file explorer. Also, Mozy’s web interface gives you the option to download your files from the web to any device. With these two options, your files are simply a click away. Mozy’s search feature allows you to find a specific file amongst your other files with ease. In the event that neither of these options are suitable, Mozy can ship you a DVD or hard drive of your files.
The way Mozy backs up data allows for faster speeds and cuts down the storage size you need. It backs up only the changes that are made to files and documents, keeping bandwidth free and eliminating stored clutter. However, Mozy makes a bit of a mess in its ability to keep your drives clean. Mozy attempts to keep your drive clean by deleting files from your drive when you delete the mirrored file from your computer, then sends it to a trash folder, where it is stored for only 30 days. When files are accidentally deleted, it could be well over 30 days before you realize it, at which point Mozy can’t help because the files are long since permanently deleted.
Overall, the service has a good mix of convenient features, but some of the more desired features are lacking. Mozy’s website says that their security is the same type of security that the military and trusted banks use to protect their data. With your choice of use of 256-bit SSL encryption or the ability to set up your very own corporate C-Key. Customer support is always available, via email or phone. However, when it comes to sharing your files with other users or outside persons, the ability is non-existent.
Mozy does not offer file preview, streaming, a method of editing files, or a way to grant securities or permissions to others. Some users will not buy based solely on the storage space sizes that are offered. For the price, the service is worthy of its place in our top selections, but for those looking for a more comprehensive way to manage files, there are others out there that will deliver more pop for your dollar. Regardless of its limitations, there are other desirable qualities to this service and as a result, Mozy is included in our list of iReviews 2014 best online backup services.
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Beaton September 6, 2014
I personally use SugarSync, which is amnaizg (tried Dropbox and Syncplicity but didn’t like either). It’s name implies it’s more of a sync service but I use it for backup as well. A great feature set and amnaizg cross-platform support and I love that it’s always constantly uploading up in the background. Main downside is that it’s expensive; I get 60GB for $100/year, which is not a lot of space.For more of the bulk backup services, they all seem very similar. Mozy, Carbonite, and CrashPlan seem like the big ones and they all seem to have unlimited plans. The one big issue I’ve noticed with them (same issue with SugarSync) are the speeds. I’ve rarely seen upload or download speeds of more than 100KB/s, so bulk backing up and restoring are both painful. I heard that one of these services (can’t remember which one) had a DVD restore option, where they snailmail you DVD copies of your backups (Amazon has a similar service with their S3 storage except you can send Amazon the DVDs for storage).Most of them have free ~2GB plans. I’d say play around with them for a week or two and see which one you like.