Mozy Remote Backup: 256 MB Sign-Up Bonus
Mozy Remote Backup is not a Google Service, but much like many Google services it's still in beta, even though it is already an excellent product. The standard free accounts come with 2 GB worth of backup storage, which can be shared between up to 3 computers. But new customers who use code CVW6EN
(or the button on the right) to sign-up will receive a bonus 256 MB.
Mozy Remote Backup: Features
While they are in beta, Mozy offers extra increments of free storage (256-512 MB) for filling out short surveys and referring new customers (both the new customer and the referring person receive the 256 MB storage bonus—an exceedingly fair arrangement!) And so far they have been good about not flooding their customers' mailboxes with ads—just a newsletter with cutesy backup-related stories every 1-2 weeks.
The backups can be either manual or automated on a user-defined schedule and of user-defined directories, which means that there is more of a chance that important data will be backed-up, compared to the now-common practice of using gmail accounts (which offer similar storage capacity) as an improvised remote backup service.
Personal Encryption Key
The biggest benefit of the Mozy remote backup client is the option to use a personal key for encrypting the backup files. This is how the encryption option is explained in the detailed Mozy Userguide:
When you use Mozy, your files are encrypted on your PC using 448-bit Blowfish encryption and then transferred the Mozy servers using 128-bit Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. You have the option of using a Mozy key, or your own private key to encrypt your data. Note, that if you use your own private key, you must be very careful about not losing it, because if you do, we won't be able to help. It's impossible for us to decrypt your data when you use your own key.
In other words, encryption is performed by the Mozy client software, so a personal key never leaves the user's PC. This way Mozy has no ability to decrypt their customers' backup files, if a personal key was used, which could be very useful, for example, if dealing with certain government agencies (or divorce lawyers?) is a potential concern. The private encryption key feature looks particularly attractive, now that most major web-services, including Google, had to deal with broad requests for information from their databases served by multiple governments. Now, if only there was a way to securely backup that private key...
Mozy Remote Backup: Summary
Overall, Mozy is an excellent remote backup service with many useful and unique (for a free service) features: 2GB+ storage, custom automated backups, and encryption with user's own key are just a few such noteworthy features, which earned Mozy more than a few accolades, including a recommendation from Lifehacker blog and the PC Magazine Editors’ Choice Award (April 2006). Perhaps when Google decides to roll out their own free backup service they could make an even better product, but for now Mozy is well above the average competition in the free remote backup market.
Highly recommended!
Disclaimer
GPX-Files is not affiliated with the Mozy service or its parent company. This brief review is provided only to encourage GPX-Files visitors to try the excellent remote backup service that Mozy offers.
