Making data backups is an important aspect of using the computer, and online backup is an innovative method of doing so these days. Traditionally, physical media like ZIP disks, CD-ROMs, or floppy disks were used. However, these days you can back up your data via the Internet, making data storage on disks practically obsolete. This is an extremely powerful and exciting type of backup, making the backup process much smoother and easier. Online data backup is arguably one of the most convenient methods of data storage. Losing files is a common occurrence that happens to everybody, sometime or the other, hence neglecting backing up your files can lead to disastrous consequences. There are many ways in which files can be lost, many of which are not within your control. Some of the most common ways of losing data are, mechanical failure, human error, software failure, computer viruses, and natural disasters. No Need to Find a Disk Again With Online Storage By backing up your files on the Internet, you don't have to bother about locating a disk that has your data on it ever again. You can access your data whenever you want to on the Internet. Plus, your data can be accessed by you from anywhere in the world, as long as there is Internet connectivity. When you have an online backup of your data, it basically means that you are storing them on a server online that is separate from your computer. Essentially, it works like an Internet drive, which can always be accessed via the Internet. All that needs to be done is to type in the Internet address where your online drive is located, use your username and password to log in, and you have access to all the data you backed up on the online storage space that was created for you on the Internet. Since it is the Internet, the backup storage possibilities are practically unlimited. Whereas physical storage media like CD-ROMs or floppy disks are fairly limited in their storage capacity, an online backup storage drive, also known as Internet backup drive, can hold almost unlimited amounts of data, since it can be powered by several servers, each, in turn, with the capacity to hold enormous amounts of data. Hence, this can be an ideal resource for you if you have large amounts of data that you need to back up. How Do You Get an Internet Backup Drive? You will have to buy storage services from a company to get your own Internet backup drive. There are several Internet backup service providers available on the net, which are quite easy to find. Just key in the terms 'Internet Backup' into a search engine online, and you will get a plethora of results. The price will depend on the company you deal with, and the amount of storage space you will require for your data. For example, some companies offer 5 GB of online data storage drive for merely $10 per month. Some of them even offer a free trial period within which you can try out the service in order to make sure that it suits your online storage needs. Once you find a company that you think serves your backup needs, all you need to do is register on their website and either choose or be given a username as well as a password. After which, you can log onto their website from wherever you may be in order to access all your online backup files. As is evident, this form of backup is very powerful indeed. Various Types of Online Data Backup Essentially, there are two types of online data backup. The first type involves downloading software that the online backup service provider provides, which has to be installed on your computer. Once this is done, you connect to the server of the online backup service provider, choose whatever files you need to back up, and transfer them to that server. After that, if you should ever lose your files or data, you can simply restore them from the backup stored on that server. If you should lose your Internet connection, or if you have huge numbers of files which would take a large amount of time to back up, you will be sent your backups on your choice of media by some online storage companies. The second option is to choose a web-based online data backup service. This can be done from any browser window you use, which gives you the ability of accessing all your stored data from any PC with an Internet connection. In general, web-based backup systems do not have the data storage capacity as the first option, however, file sharing is much easier on them and they are certainly more user-friendly. Advantages

• Compared to other options, online storage systems cost less to set up and run.
• You do not need to buy, maintain, or repair any hardware, plus, there is no need to manage any consumable media.
• You can make the process of backups fully automatic, which saves you time wherein you can do more productive work.
• All you need to do is turn it on; hence, it is very easy to manage.
• No requirement of having to arrange for the storage of media, either offsite or onsite.
• No need to worry about media becoming obsolete or degrading.
• There are data backup systems that offer certain features that media based backups do not, like remote data access and synchronization.
• Before your backup files are sent they are encrypted by your PC, and stored in that format, which ensures the security of all your data.
• You can access all your backup data at any time from anywhere in the world.