The cloud we're talking about is actually the Internet cloud. It's basically a fancy name for Internet companies storing your information on their servers so you can access it from anywhere.
The cloud makes it easy to move information between your gadgets; share files, photos and videos with friends, family and co-workers; stream music and movies; back up your information; and so on. As gadgets get faster Internet, more things you used to do locally are moving to the cloud.
However, cloud services aren't created equal. Some are better for one thing than another, and that's just the case with cloud storage vs. cloud backup. There is a difference, and if you choose the wrong one, you can say goodbye to your precious information.
Cloud Storage
First let's look at cloud storage. This works like an online hard drive where you can upload documents, photos and other things you want to share between your gadgets or with other people.Popular cloud storage services include Dropbox, Apple iCloud, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and too many more to name. These give you anywhere from 5GB to 15GB of storage space for free, and you can pay if you want more.
Moving files to these services is easy enough, either with a browser-based control panel, or a computer program that lets you drag and drop files to a special sharing folder. It's easy, and for syncing files across gadgets or sharing them with others, it works well.
Some of these cloud storage services are integrated by default with mobile gadgets as well. Android gadgets come with Google Drive, Apple gadgets have iCloud and Windows Phone comes with OneDrive. And on mobile gadgets, these can work like backup systems.
However, one thing I see a lot of people trying to do is use cloud storage for backup on computers, and that doesn't work.
A lot of people treat cloud storage like a second hard drive. They'll move files to their account and delete the one on their computer or gadget to save space. Or they'll upload one version of a file and then not update it with a newer version.
If the cloud service goes down for any reason, that one copy of the file might be gone for good. That's what happened to a lot of people, and even some companies, when the service MegaUpload got shut down three years ago. The FBI took the servers, and most people still haven't gotten their files.
Going the other direction, if your computer dies, you still have the copy of your file in the cloud. However, it might not be the most recent version. And what about the important files you didn't move to the cloud? Those are gone forever.
Cloud Backup
Cloud backup, on the other hand, creates copies of your files in the cloud. That means if either your computer or the service goes down, you still have a recent copy somewhere. And because the cloud backup service stores your files in a remote location, it's immune to local disasters and thefts.Not only that, unlike cloud storage, cloud backup is automatic. It uploads all your recent versions of important files for you. A good cloud backup service even detects when files change and backs up the new versions automatically. You don't have to do a thing to keep your files safe.
Plus, like cloud storage, you can access your backed up files at any time from any gadget. The only thing cloud backup isn't as good at is sharing files with other people and letting them make changes.
So, what company do we recommend for cloud backup? It's called Carbonite, and while it is a sponsor on the Kim Komando Show and Komando.com, it's also a service Kim has used for years.
Like a good cloud backup service, it automatically backs up your important files, and uses double encryption to do it, which keeps hackers out of your business. Your files are stored on servers in secure data centers, and even Carbonite employees can't open your files.
However, you can view or restore your backed up files to any computer or gadget. For your smartphone or tablet, be sure to grab the Carbonite Mobile app.
The bottom line, is that there really is no better way to backup your files. Start your 15-day risk-free trial now and you'll quickly see why we love it so much. Be sure to enter promo code KIM to get two free months when you decide to buy.
