Multiple computer syncronicity, file versioning, and un-delete.

I’m on vacation, so I’m catching up on all the cool sites that have launched recently. A theme emerged quickly from the file sharing, online backup sector. Mozy is officially old school. Dropbox is now my favorite new app. Mozy simply backs up files for un-delete or replacement to another machine, in a very awkward way. As I’ve had to use it a couple of times, and it wasn’t fun to figure out how to get files replaced from one machine onto another machine.

Dropbox not only makes this easy, but does with multiple machines continuously. Setting up was easy, and setting up again was even easier. I started setup on my desktop, and then did it again on my laptop. I was going on a short weekend trip and planned to do a little homework (online MBA program). Perfect time to test out something new.

Without even thinking I had saved a partially written post to my desktop (which is a synced folder since it’s my working palate most of the time.) Usually I save my post to GoogleDocs, but not this time. The prof. required APA format for the paper so Word it was. Word with it’s desktop centric anchors. I opened my laptop and while waiting for it to come alive I remembered I had saved to my desktop and not to GoogleApps. Oh, but wait, that’s supposed to be synced w/ my laptop. So, I logged in, got online and waited. About fifteen seconds later my partially written post was open and ready for me to finish it. Technology making life simpler.

Before I settled on Dropbox I also looked at Syncplicity. Looks identical on the surface. And maybe they are, but Dropbox was smart in highlighting their un-delete and versioning tools. Good bye Mozy, it was nice knowing you.

Dropbox has public sharing, photo sharing, and makes some great opportunities for remote workforce collaboration. I could see SharePoint document libraries getting replaced.

Technorati Tags: Dropbox.com,Dropbox,Mozy,Syncplicity,file sync,backup,un-delete

Google Chrome

While I have only opened it, tried to view some of the demo videos (which say they’re no longer available?), and loaded my gmail, it is promising that Google’s new browser will be a good product to have around. If nothing else it pushes every other browser out there making them all better for us.

I’m a Google convert. Yep, I used to be all MS, but in the last six months I’ve gone google. Nothing has reinforced my decision to do this more than my weekend move from a laptop to a desktop as my main machine. I took a fresh install of Vista Ultimate and in a matter of a day’s worth of my time I’m running both machines off the same file base.

No moving email programs and history, no moving images files back and forth, no moving spreadsheets, docs, or anything else. Now, I’m not doing all of that totally with Google. My image files are local on my NAS. But, they are reachable from anywhere.

How great it is to have the horsepower of desktop for graphics and video, and the portability of a 4 pound laptop, and never worry about not having a file or program synchronized or missing all together.

I didn’t intend for this to be a ‘cloud computing’ post, but I think Chrome is going to turn more than this post into discussions about this subject.

Google Chrome

Technorati Tags: Google,Chrome,browser,cloud,computing

MozyPro online backup is a life saver

The non-profit I work for uses MozyPro to backup all our machines.

It works great for us. We only backup about 35 gigs, but after the first backup the subsequent backups happen quickly. (I usually don’t see it happen anymore as it happens while I’m sleeping.)

It runs $0.50 per gigabyte, per month. Cheap compared to many of the services with comparable interfaces and features. They have server editions that run the same plus $7 per month per server. It works for USB attached storage as well, but I’m not sure about NAS devices.

It has an easy administrative interface, and sends weekly email reports detailing each machines last backup time, space used and space allotted. For the most part it’s ‘set it, and forget it.’

My favorite part is I can right click in any directory and choose to “Restore Files in Folder” and it gives me all the files that have been backed up from that directory. I double click the file I want and it downloads it from our Mozy storage back to my pc instantly. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve deleted a file and had to restore it months later.

If you have any questions about it feel free to comment below. Their site should answer most of your questions. They usually run a promotion every month for 10% off by typing the month’s name in the coupon code box. (i.e. “JUNE”) Also, if you sign up for a year or biennial subscription they give you from one to three months free.

Technorati Tags: Mozy,Pro,Backup,Online Backup,server backup

Mozy – online backup tool has a sale, great product why put it on sale?

My favorite online back-up service Mozy is taking advantage of HP’s problems with their recently launched Upline service to give some big discounts both to new sign-ups and any users who might be looking around for a more reliable alternative. For those that sign up they save 25% off One or Two Year Unlimited Online Backup Accounts at Mozy.

There’s two packages that they are discounting: One year of Unlimited Online Storage for $60 – 1 month free – 25% coupon = $41. Or two years of Unlimited Online Storage for $120 – 3 months free – 25% coupon = $79.

For either one, use Coupon Code: UPLINE during signup to get the savings. This coupon will be valid only for a very short time.

Technorati Tags: Mozy,Online Backup,Backup,Upline,HP,25%,discount