A “data storage website” is a website that offers the customer a way to save his or her files on-line. There are numerous advantages to this method for saving and protecting data:

1. Data is protected from site property damage. If there is a fire or water damage at the customer’s office, data can be lost. All media can be affected physically to the point where it costs too much to recover the data or – even worse – the data is irretrievable. Off-site back-up is always recommended. Off-site backup could consist of office data being stored at home or in a safe-deposit box or at other company locations (for example, data from a Philadelphia location might be stored in a San Francisco branch office)

2. Data is protected from media degradation. CDs, DVDs, memory-sticks – anything physical can degrade (go bad) to the point where data is lost. It may be unlikely, but if the data is absolutely vital, it is a risk most companies won’t be willing to take. On-line back-up is considered a strong second line of defense to protect against such events. Some company’s opt for redundant systems in which they combine a number of differing methods (if the data is vital enough).

3. Data is protected from theft. On-site data storage creates a security issue, especially when the data is on easily stolen media, such as CD’s or memory sticks. Online data is highly secure in most cases. Of course, the security is highly dependent on the system of security you pick. If you opt for encrypted storage that can only be decoded from your well-chosen password or passwords, then you can feel as safe as is possible. Even if someone were able to break in to the online company’s computers, they would only be able to steal garbage – encrypted files they would find unusable.

4. Data is backed up in a timely manner. Backing up data oneself means taking the time to do this. Off-site backup might mean driving to a bank to put media in or retrieve media from a safe-deposit box. It is a complex routine of multiple media copies and regular trips. It is easy to delay such trips and then suffering a loss that has not been covered because of the delay. Online storage sites almost universally offer applications that make up automatically and regularly, protecting you up-to-the-minute if that is what you think you need.

This is truly a key advantage of online storage. While it is true that large companies can use offsite servers to do the same task, it uses a lot of company resources to maintain this process.

A caveat (warning): Don’t confuse backing up with archiving. Backing up means protecting current files by duplicating them elsewhere. Archiving means saving all data for future access.

What is the difference? How does it matter? Here are some examples that might help.

Example 1:

You take a bunch of digital photographs and movies that you want to save for your great grandchildren to look at. They are important to your family history. These files are taking up way too much room on your computer. What do you want to do with them?

You want to archive them. You want them off your computer, but you want to be able to get to them and share them with your children and their families at a later date.

Example 2:

You are working on a project and keeping a lot of working notes. If you lose these notes, you will lose valuable time and money. If your computer crashes, you need to be able to quickly recover the notes and continue working.

These notes need to be backed up, constantly. The decision as to whether to save them off your computer for later referral is a different decision to consider – the immediate decision must be how to protect yourself from losing your work. Get your data backed up as regularly as you can.

Must online data storage companies are offering backing up services. These are usually cheap considering the quality of service being offered and the needs being met. But they are backing up, not archiving. Once you delete material from your computer, the online company will begin to echo you, usually within 30 to 90 days. This means that if you deleted an important file from your computer unknowingly and did not discover this fact for four months, you will not be able to get help from the online company. You will need your own archival backups, which is why companies usually use multiple strategies.

Archiving – regardless of who does it – is expensive. It either uses up the consumer’s time and patience or it uses up his money. Because it requires an ever expanding amount of storage space and backing up the archives themselves, companies that provide these services do so for high fees. The greater the guarantees provided, the greater the expense.