As far as offsite backups, AC's is good, but I just have problems with data I can't see. Plus, compare the cost with other offsite backup programs. It's worth it for the convenience and the type of backup file, but there are other good choices out there.

Check out Jungle Disk, the workstation model. It gives you many, many versions to go back to. I only back up my data (my server data -- 20 Gig) to it. If I backed up the entire server it would be pricier. It works basically like a De-duplication backup. This is a backup that is similar to using incrementals or differentials, but with many advantages to it. With incrementals and differentials, you have ONE backup, and you are stuck with whether they work or not. With de-duplication you have the following strategy. It backs up the entire system or drive or folder or whatever you choose. So, the next day, when it goes to do the backup, it looks at your computer and says what is different about what I need to back up and what I have now. Oh, he added 2MBs of data to his databases and 10 new files to his imports. And, it backs this up. So, now your backup is identical, BUT you still have the backup from the day before. The confusing part is you don't really have twice the size. The backup software knows what new data belongs to what.

Day 1: Upload of all data - A + B + C + D
Day 2: Upload of "e" so you have A + B + C + D + (e)
Day 3: Upload of "f" but deletion of "g" so now
A + B + C + D + (e - f) for day 3

But, really you would have:

Day 1 0
Day 2 + e
Day 3 + e - f
Day 4 + e - f + g + h
Day 5 + e - f + g + h - e = - f + g + h

So, on any give backup, you just add the changs to the base backup, and you have the complete backup. So, if you wanted to know what your computer or your folder looked like on day 4, it would show you A + B + C + D + e - f + g + h

The price for this is Size of data on drive plus daily bandwidth used for backing up + any download bandwidth.

When you want to go back and see your imported items or other files, you click on restore and the dropdown box will allow you to choose any date. You then click it, and all of those files are there for you to see.

The key here that most people don't understand about backups is: every backup after day 3 will be missing f and every backup after day 5 will be missing f and e.

So a backup done today may have exactly what your system has and would be great if something happened given you have every piece of data there but... if someone had deleted f accidentially or you had even deleted it intentionally but wanted to get it back, you could go back and get it. Now, the thing to remember with backups is how far do you want to go back.

This is why some companies use Grandfather - Father - Son strategies or for those with IQs over 140 the Tower of Hanoi scheme. But these strategies allow you to have backups for over a year, without doing a year's worth of backups.

I guess I am doing my entire talk, so I better stop now. But de-duplication is really cool.

Bert
Pediatrics
Brewer, Maine