Online Storage Services: An In-Depth Look

There are tons of options out there for people to store and upload their files to an online hosting server and many have packages starting for free. These services are sometimes referred to as "Online Backup" and "Cloud Storage", but the differences are apples and oranges.

"Online Backup" is used in a lot of different ways from backing up a single file to backing up your entire system. A true online backup service is a dedicated managed backup service that provides users with a system for the backup and storage of computer files such as Mozy, Carbonite or Barracuda Networks

"Cloud Storage" is based on the cloud network architecture for collaborative sharing where data is stored on virtualized pools of storage which are generally hosted by third party hosting servers such as Liquidweb or Rackspace.

"Online Storage" or "File Hosting Service" is simply a online personal storage locker aimed at private individuals, offering personal backup, file access, or file distribution.

Users can upload their files and share them publicly or keep them password-protected. Ideal for those running out of room on their computer or want a file they can access from any machine such as Microsoft 365, Google Docs (and its sister brand Google Apps for business) Dropbox, Evernote, Amazon S3, iDrive for Mac or Microsoft Live Mesh and their SkyDrive.

If you take the time to check out each application in their respected categories you'll soon find out each offers a unique service that can be used independently or overlap with other ones. To get the most bang for your buck, most users take advantage of all three categories with an application that best fits your needs and preferences. There are dozens more companies out there as the ones listed in this article are ones I either have used or currently use now.

They all offer good for what they do but its important not to mistake or assume an "Online Storage" as a dedicated "Online Backup". I personally like to keep all my computers lean, mean and fast.

The most important factor to remember is at the end of the day your computer is a computing device not a storage device. Many people keep tons of documents and high rich media like photos, videos and songs on their computer slowing it way down or worse yet waiting for it to be lost if it crashes.

In conclusion, I hope you learned a little more about online storage services and how it can help you keep your files safe while keeping your computer fast. Do your homework, find out what they all do and don't do and make sure you find applications that offer you solutions you need.

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