Online backup services are usually priced as a function of the following things:
- The total amount of data being backed up;
- The number of machines covered by the backup service;
- The maximum number of versions of each file that are kept;
- Data retention and archiving period options;
- Managed backups vs. Unmanaged backups;
- The level of service and features available;
Some vendors limit the number of versions of a file that can be kept in the system. Some services omit this restriction and provide an unlimited number of versions. Add-on features (plug-ins), like the ability to back up currently open or locked files, are usually charged as an extra, but some services provide this built in.
Most remote backup services reduce the amount of data to be sent over the wire by only backing up changed files. This approach to backing up means that the customers total stored data is reduced. Reducing the amount of data sent and also stored can be further drastically reduced by only transmitting the changed data bits by binary or block level incremental backups. Solutions that transmit only these changed binary data bits do not waste bandwidth by transmitting the same file data over and over again if only small amounts change.
Online backup Payment Method:
- Pay per computer. Additional fee for storage over a threshold.
- Pay per computer. Storage per computer is unlimited.
- Pay per unit of storage, but unlimited computers may share that storage.
- Bandwidth capping or limits are used on accounts.
Recommended Online Backup Services
Carbonite, Keepit.com, IDrive, DropBox, BackBlaze, KeepVault, MozyHome, SugarSync, JungleDisk…
More details: Comparison of online backup services