It’s amazing to me how many apps there are to help folks out, and it goes without saying that there are a bunch of apps out there to help you backup your Mac. I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of most of the backup solutions and services listed on our resources page, but there are several more options that I thought would be worth a mention. Not only because they’re just as good as the more mainstream brands, but because they could be an essential part of your backup plan (and more than likely should be).
Bitcasa
I first heard about Bitcasa when invites were sent out for their BETA. After being accepted into the BETA program, I was impressed with what they had to offer. Since the BETA, though, they’ve expanded tremendously, and are set to make a big impact. The issue with external hard drives that sit on your desk, is that they run out of space. Bitcasa offers limitless options, so you never run out of room.
All files backed up to Bitcasa are encrypted, so only you know what’s backed up to your backup drive in the cloud – not even Bitcasa’s employees know what’s there. What’s awesome though, is that you can share any of the files you’ve backed up, even if they’re not Bitcasa users. Not only that, but all of your devices can access your data – so if you’re looking for that one file, you can get a hold of it whether you’re on your smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer.
Livedrive
Livedrive offer a multitude of choices for backing up your Mac, and much like other cloud offerings, there are a number of options to choose from, depending on your needs. Fortunately, Livedrive offers a two week free trial for whichever option you choose.
For those of you who aren’t confident using a computer and would like a simple installation, Livedrive may be your choice – installing the software is simple and easy to use. You can restore any or all files that you would like, and you can access them within one click – it’s pretty hassle free. Movies, images, and files can be accessed from anywhere, and you’re able to watch the movie that you’ve backed up – great if you do a lot of traveling!
In terms of security, Livedrive offers military-grade encryption so your files are totally private.
Crash Plan
Crashplan offers worry free backup so you can concentrate on your life and not on worrying about securing your files and data. One of the things that stands out about Crashplan is that there’s no credit card fee for 30 days. As good as a free trial, this incentive allows you to sign up in confidence, knowing that after the 30 days are up, you have nothing invested in the program, and are free to go elsewhere.
Let’s talk about some of the features Crashplan offers. If I understand this correctly, in addition to other options, Crashplan offers free backup to an external hard drive, and any trusted computer connected to the Internet. Looking for security? Crashplan offers 448-bit encryption, which includes a private key option. Also, the servers your data is backed up on offer military-grade security. Crashplan also has a (free) mobile app so you can take all of your data with you.
Check out some of the other Crashplan features and see why a subscription might benefit you and your family.
Dolly Drive
Dolly Drive works with the Mac’s native Time Machine program and lets you backup your Time Machine backups to the cloud (or DollyGrid). You might be asking the question – Why Would I use DollyDrive if I use Time Machine? – well, that’s a great question. If something happens to the Time Machine data on your external hard drive, do you have a plan B? Most people don’t, but with the installation of DollyDrive, and a few quick tweaks to Time Machine, you’ll be set.
You see, DollyDrive works with TimeMachine, and securely backs up your data, so every time Time Machine makes a backup, it’ll be backed up with DollyDrive, too. The integration between Time Machine and DollyDrive is an ingenious idea, and the family option allows for the creation of multiple profiles (up to 10 individual users).
Wuala
Wuala offers secure cloud storage, so that you may never be without that critical file, or treasured family picture, should data loss occur. Cloud backup with Wuala is encrypted on the client-side, which means that encryption occurs before the data leaves the computer. Your password, by the way, never leaves your machine, and not even LaCie employees could access your data.
So, Wuala have the security part down, but what about the actual backup part? Well, automatic backup comes as standard with Wuala, and even if you have permanently deleted a file on your Mac, Wuala lets your restore it, hassle free. How’s that for convenience? The sync feature is where I think Wuala really shines. If you add a file to your sync folder, the file will then be available on all of your computers. So if you add a file to your sync folder at work, it will also be available for you to work on at home.
Wuala offers a free offering where you can store up to 5GB worth of data. Interested to know more? Check out pricing and additional storage options available.
Are there backup apps you use that I haven’t mentioned? Let me know in the comments and I’ll get them added.