When 2 GB is insufficient to store the massive number of photographs, emails, documents and other important files that are piled up on your hard drive, you can go for a subscription based service. Here are some good options along with their pros and cons.
1. Backblaze (tour) The true set it and forget it backup service
Extremely easy to setup. The service will automatically backup your entire computer excluding folders that contain the OS and your applications.
If you create a new folder on your computer, you don't have to remember to add it to the backup queue.
The option to restore files from the backup could have been a bit simpler.
2. Carbonite (tour) Makes data recovery really simple
Colored dots on your files and folders indicate the status of your backup at a glance. No dot means the file is not selected for backup.
You can remote access your backups from anywhere using the browser and there are apps for iPhone and BlackBerry.
The restore function in Carbonite is done pretty nicely and you can recover files using Windows Explorer itself.
Carbonite's web interface is clean but their desktop client looks old and a bit untidy.
3. Mozy (tour) The original cloud backup service
Mozy will automatically group your files and folders into "sets" like documents, emails, photos, music, etc. so it becomes easy for you to select stuff that you want to backup online.
In addition to online backup, the more recent version of Mozy can also back up your data to an external disk.
Mozy offers quite a few easy ways to restore files from the backup.
4. iDrive (tour) For quick and easy backups
When you start iDrive, it offers a folder tree of your computer - just select the folders that you want to backup online and you're done.
You can also add files and folders to the backup queue with a simple right click inside Windows Explorer.
You can restore data through the iDrive desktop client. Individual files and folders can also be recovered from iDrive's website.
Their Family plan can help you backup multiple computers to a single IDrive account.
5. CrashPlan (tour) - One backup service for all platforms
With CrashPlan, you can easily backup your files to multiple locations including the cloud, to another folder on the same hard-disk, to other computer on your home network or to any other Internet connected computer (social backup).
The desktop client is intuitive and won't confuse you with a plethora of options.
CrashPlan is among the very few online backup services that's available on all platforms including Windows, Mac and Linux.
6. Jungle Disk (tour) - Metered online storage
Jungle Disk uses Amazon S3 for data storage.
You can use a single license to backup multiple computers.
Jungle Disk supports Windows, Mac and Linux.
7. SugarSync (tour) -Access your backups from any mobile device
SugarSync works in near real-time and will immediately back up any file changes that are made in one of the monitored folders.
You can easily access your backups over the web or from any of your mobile devices through apps.
SugarSync is not integrated with Windows Explorer and therefore it is a bit cumbersome to add new folders for backup.
8. ZumoDrive (tour) - Simple and elegant
ZumoDrive is extremely easy to configure - just right click any folder on your computer and add it to the ZumoDrive cloud.
Restoring files from ZumoDrive may involve some effort. It offers ZIP archives of your folders that you'll have to manually extract to the right locations.
