So we established that you need an online backup system for your CAD data. So, where do you begin?
For the Freelancer
So maybe you think that you don’t need a dedicated backup routine because you are just doing CAD work on the side. You are the part-time freelancer with only a few jobs on your drive. But data of any kind is important, especially if it belongs to a client. Backing up for the freelancer does not have to be complicated.
Dropbox.com is a freemium service (a service with both free and premium versions) designed to make backing up as easy as saving to a local directory. Just visit Dropbox and register for an account to get 2 GB of free storage in the cloud. Once you are registered, download the Dropbox application for your desktop or mobile and you are set up. The installation will put a nice little “Dropbox” folder icon on your desktop. Treat it like any directory to save files and create sub-directories. The trick is that everything you put in this magical folder gets backed up to the cloud! Your data is instantly saved off-site at Dropbox’s secure data centers and available anywhere you can use a browser!
For the Small Business
So you’ve been working as a freelancer so long that you are now a small business! Maybe you have a few employees and more clients. Your data storage needs are too big for Dropbox so what now? Enter Carbonite.
Carbonite.com is a online backup service designed for heavier lifting than Dropbox. Signing up with the Carbonite service will bring automated backups to your small business. Just like Dropbox, Carbonite will automatically backup your data to off-site servers. However Carbonite service plans allow you to back up data from all of the workstations and servers in your small business! Not only will your data be secure in the Carbonite data centers, it is secure on the way there with end to end encryption.
Do you have a larger business and more intensive data backup needs? Don't worry, I haven't forgotten you. Next we'll talk about enterprise solutions.
Have your own suggestions for online backup services? Leave a comment below!
Author: Curt Moreno
