Carbonite Versus SOS Online Backup
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- The Good
- User-friendly
- Affordable, simple pricing
- Automatic backup of files
- Unlimited cloud-based storage
- The Bad
- No sync features
- Multiple computers not accommodated
- Can’t create public sharing links
- Tends to be slow
Carbonite was one of the original online backup services made available to average people. It continues as one of the more popular backup systems. It is easy to use, will back up your system automatically and does it all at a reasonable price.
- The Good
- Interface is intuitive
- Files and file versions archived
- Three-tier data encryption
- The Bad
- Uploads to cloud vary in speed
- No multi-device syncing
- No free or unlimited accounts
- No completion time indicator
The main thing going for SOS Online Backup is its speed. Reviews proclaim it the “undisputed speed leader” among web-based backup services. It offers a rich set of features and tools for your storage convenience, making it a top choice for those seeking off-site data protections. It includes a higher level of security than most of its competitors.
- Price
- Basic home plan
- $59.99/year
- Plus home office plan
- $99.99/year (Windows only)
- Prime plan
- $149.99/year (Windows only)
With Carbonite, you’re allowed to back up whatever you want, such as photos, system settings and documents. If you subscribe to the Plus or Prime plans, you can back up mirror images of external hard drives and your computer systems. Carbonite’s plans for business all support an unlimited number of computers.
- Price
- 50GB
- $4.99/month
- 100GB
- $7.99/month
- 150GB
- $9.99/month
- 250GB
- $12.99/month
SOS does offer higher storage amounts for those wanting more. A 500GB backup space will cost $20.99/month ($199.99/year). If you need 1TB of storage space, expect a bill for $39.99/month ($399.00/year). To secure 5TB of space for your files, you’ll have to pay $159.99/month ($1,599.99/year). A full 10TB space of storage space carries a price tag of $299.99/month ($2,999.99/year).
SOS does offer a free trial period. The good news is that you don’t have to give up your credit card number to get the free trial. The bad news is that it lasts for only 14 days. That’s not a lot of time to test out a system as integral as storing backups of your most important data.
- Specs
- Supports Windows (all versions) and MacOS
- 128-bit military-grade encryption
- Desktop program and web app
- Supports file sharing
Carbonite allows you to back up all your important files, photos and documents automatically. You can log in to your account from anywhere, on any device and have full access to your files. Setup is simple and recovery takes just a few clicks. Carbonite is compliant with HIPAA, GLBA, FERPA, SOC 2, TYPE 2 and PCI. It also supports remote file access along with granular backup, hyper-v and live applications. As a business user, you can back up data from unlimited SAN, NAS and EHD servers.
- Specs
- Windows and Mac compatible
- No limits on file size
- No restrictions on bandwidth
- Supports external HDD and NAS backups
Be warned that backing up an entire external drive may be a slow process with any cloud storage provider. While SOS enjoys the speed-demon of backup storage moniker, it may take some time to back up your external drive. Just like with other SaaS (Software as a Service) backup services, SOS is installable on your mobile device, Android or iPhone.
- Features
- Automatic, continuous backup
- Restore wizard and recovery service
- Hard drive recovery service
- Mobile and web access
Carbonite adds an additional feature to indicate if a file is currently backed up or not. A series of colored dots lets you know at a glance that your files are safely backed up, are awaiting backup or not scheduled for backup at all. In the Windows version, red and yellow dots report your file status. In the Mac version, a red dot indicates that the file is currently not selected for backup. Carbonite also supports file versioning. This means that multiple versions of older files are available to you. If you remove a file from your hard drive, Carbonite will wait 30 days for you to replace it. After that, the servers delete the file.
- Features
- File storage indefinitely
- Unlimited file revisioning
- Smart compression system
- Synchronize multiple computers
SOS offers features that you won’t find anywhere else. They will store unlimited versions of your files indefinitely. The caveat here is that this indefinite storage lasts only as long as you maintain your account. SOS allows synchronization of multiple computers, including a backup app for iPhone and BlackBerry. You can also back up unlimited PCs with your SOS account.
- Security
- 128-bit military-grade encryption
- Uses RAID 6 redundant storage
Carbonite is serious about security for its cloud storage, providing not just system security but also physical server security. It uses advanced 128-bit Blowfish encryption and a combination of server-side encryption and local encryption. Windows users can manage their own encryption key. There is 24-hour security server surveillance and controlled server room access. Servers have on-site emergency backup generators with uninterruptible power supplies. Unauthorized third-party access is not allowed.
- Security
- Private encryption key option available
- Triple 256-bit encryption
- HIPPAA-compliant
- Data stored on military-grade data centers
The triple 256-encryption is SOS’ pride and joy. Your files are first encrypted locally, then again during the upload to the cloud. They are then encrypted again when stored online. You also have the option of using a private encryption key. This is especially appealing when you’re storing data locally. SOS is compliant with all Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory standards, as well as HIPPAA-compliant. This means your most sensitive data are secure.
Carbonite: User Reviews
SOS Online Backup: User Reviews
Carbonite: Comments
SOS Online Backup: Comments
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When talking cloud storage, Carbonite is one of the best and most-trusted services on the market. Its affordable prices garner you unlimited backup space to your cloud. With its multitude of services, it is hard to find another service that delivers the same options for a comparable amount on a monthly or yearly fee.
One of the strong points of Carbonite is the ease of navigation with its interface. A user-friendly dashboard has a very low learning curve for most users. Setup is simple and straightforward. The extended time it takes for the initial backup is common, as this is fairly normal across the spectrum for initial backups.
The default will automatically back up your documents, photos, email and music you have stored on your computer. This means you don’t have to take the time to set parameters individually on the files you want backed up.
How Does Carbonite Work?
If you’re looking for ease of use, Carbonite is your best bet. But don’t let its easy interface fool you: it packs a punch. Carbonite’s automatic backup feature means new or updated files get backed up almost as soon as you create them.
You can invite others to view files and add comments for a group to see and respond to by using Carbonite’s Sync & Share center. This is a valuable resource for teams that need to collaborate on projects. You can effortlessly access all the files and documents necessary to stay up-to-date on what your team is doing. You can eliminate the frustrating bouncing back and forth between your email inbox and your cloud storage dashboard.
What Makes Carbonite Stand Out?
Carbonite’s file-restoring feature sets it above the pack. You can restore a file via three primary means when using Carbonite: web app, PC client or backup drive. The desktop recovery feature is a lifesaver for those who make mistakes at times. With Carbonite, this is an easy fix.
You can address accidental deletions through the Carbonite desktop application. The deleted file can be immediately repaired.
Common Reviews of Carbonite
Most reviews of Carbonite are glowing. There is a lot of praise for the automatic backup, security and file restoration features. The file versioning feature that gives you 30 days to recover a file version is also a popular talking point.
By default, Carbonite only backs up certain file types. This leads to some frustration among users because it doesn’t back up all the files in a folder. You can alter this option by making a few changes in the settings but it is something that not everyone remembers to do.
There are also complaints about the speed with which Carbonite works its magic. Some of the uploading and downloading tends to get a little slow sometimes. For those not in a hurry, this is a moot point. But for those on a tight schedule, this can be frustrating.
Overall, Carbonite comes highly recommended for individuals and small businesses. It is a cost-effective way to keep files and sensitive data secure.
Is Carbonite for Me?
Carbonite is one of the most popular brands for cloud backup. It is more a backup solution than just a cloud storage application. Carbonite’s optimized cloud-based solution meets the needs of individuals and small businesses who are seeking a secure way to back up their systems off-site.
If you need an affordable, reliable system for restoring your PC and portable files in case of data loss or system failure, Carbonite is a great choice for any individual or small business.
The bottom line is that SOS is competitive with its pricing, offers an easy user interface, and gives you all the features you need to back up personal and business data. It is an invaluable backup system for personal or small business use.
The customer service and support provided by SOS enjoys a good reputation. As a customer, you can run on PCs or Macs, iPhones or Android smartphones. You can back up multiple devices, and it is easily accessible from home, office or on the road. The interface is easy to use, and the scheduling options are not difficult to set up.
SOS made the decision to offer its users unlimited versions kept on file. It also gives you social media data protection — that means you can back up your Facebook account. This is a nice feature that attracts many users.
How Does SOS Work?
SOS Online Backup has one of the easiest-to-use control panel operation dashboards in the online backup category. The learning curve for the software is negligible, making a large-scale deployment across multiple PCs and laptops smooth and generally flawless.
SOS gives you live support operators to assist new customers should any issues arise during installation. Users can also reach SOS support through the SOS social media accounts.
What Makes SOS Stand Out?
SOS gives you the flexibility to back up your information from an unlimited number of computers. It offers file versioning that includes indefinite storage of previous versions for the life of your account subscription.
If you have large files that would take a tremendous amount of time to upload, SOS allows you to physically mail them to SOS, who will then upload them to the cloud for you.
Common Reviews of SOS
Reviews of SOS overwhelmingly mention two features: speed and price. SOS’ ability to move files around at fantastic speeds is a positive mentioned in review after review. Speed of uploads depends, of course, on the speed of the internet connection. If you’re working on dial-up, nothing much is going to help.
On the other side, SOS is frequently chastised for its cost. When you get into large files and huge amounts of information needing transfer and storage, the price can rise rather rapidly. Although SOS offers an awful lot of good features for the price, there are a large number of users who still complain about their yearly bills.
Is SOS for Me?
SOS has some of the best uploading speeds and backup processing on the market. It doesn’t delete previous versions of files from the covered machine, even if you delete the file locally. You can retrieve any version of any file that you’ve ever generated as long as you maintain your account with SOS. That’s not something you’ll find in any other service.
Then there is the triple-encryption security. That’s incredibly hard for competitors to top. Then, just to keep things interesting, SOS adds local backup capability and excellent mobile apps. You get to control it all through a clear, attractive user interface.
So, is SOS for you? SOS makes a formidable argument that it is for everyone.
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