SmallBizResource Blog -- Storage

EMC Mozies Into Online Mac Backups

Posted by Gayle Kesten Thursday, May 1, 2008, 01:16 PM ET

Mac users have a new option for online backups that's fresh out of beta.

The solution, MozyHome for Mac 1.0, comes from storage giant EMC, which already has PC versions of its offering out for Windows 2000, XP and Vista. MozyHome for Mac is free for up to 2 GB of storage, costs $4.95 per month for unlimited capacity, and, according to the company, uses the same type of encryption used for online banking. After the initial setup, automatic backups occur in the background, with 30 days' worth of file versions stored in addition to the most recent backup.

EMC is targeting MozyHome for Mac at the consumer market, but small businesses with modest needs should take advantage, too. (A business version, MozyPro Mac, is expected to go into beta this summer; sign up here to be notified.)

If you haven't done much in the way of backup, this article from bMighty about what to look for in an online backup provider will put you on the right path. It includes the following checklist of questions to ask of any provider you're considering:

1. Will they support all your systems?
2. Will they support your applications properly?
3. Will you need/want the faster restore capability that a caching appliance will give you? Is it worth the extra cost?
4. Do you want to have your VAR, consultant or MSP manage your online backup system?
5. How sure are you that the vendor will still be around when you need your data?
6. How many versions of your data will they keep?
7. How long will they keep your data?
8. Where is the data center where your data will be stored?
9. Will your data be duplicated in multiple places?

Storage