Backblaze evaluation | Macworld

When trying on clothing, there’s a crucial distinction to make.

Cloud services like OneDrive, Google Drive, and Apple’s personal iCloud Drive offer a secure online storage solution for sharing files and collaborating with others, typically via a link to a specific location.

While services like Backblaze offer robust storage solutions, they ensure that data is securely stored outside of premises for extended periods, safeguarded under rigorous encryption protocols. Here is the rewritten text:

Designed for safeguarding vital data, this tool isn’t intended for swift document sharing or collaborative work, but rather as a backup measure in case something happens to your local device, ensuring that valuable information remains recoverable. When sharing files with Backblaze, you need to utilize their B2 Cloud Storage service, offering flexible, pay-by-use options.

While companies like iDrive obscure the lines somewhat, Backblaze occupies a niche where it’s a device you hope never has to be used, yet you’ll be incredibly grateful to have it tucked away.

As a pioneer in cloud-based backup solutions, Backblaze confidently proclaims its mission as “backup for peace of mind,” an ethos that is difficult to dispute. Upon payment, you acquire the application and it proceeds to operate discreetly in the background.

For just $99 over 12 months, this option is remarkably affordable, with unlimited storage capacity and no limitations on individual file size or total data. Considering the cost is $99 per laptop, you’ll effectively double that figure for two machines. Nevertheless, if you’re using just one device, it’s still worth exploring.

You can tailor your own two-factor authentication settings and encryption keys to safeguard your data, ensuring its confidentiality and integrity, while the app’s lightweight nature means it doesn’t compromise system performance, allowing seamless backup of your entire drive without noticeable lag.

While I cannot share my sensitive data as freely as I would with a cloud storage solution like Google Drive, my personal information is actually more secure than it has ever been.

First Impressions

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The magic of Backblaze lies in its ability to operate without requiring users to actively open the app itself. As soon as installed, you can set options like backup schedules and a quick, at-a-glance view of how much you’ve uploaded, categorised by file type, which is convenient; for the most part, however, I appreciate that it simply gets on with things.

With a menu bar merchandise, you can quickly pause your ongoing backup or obtain real-time updates on its progress, while the app conveniently offers three months of version history as a standard feature. At the time of writing, you have the option to extend this for an additional 12 months without incurring any further costs, which is a valuable benefit.

Backblaze Options

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Backblaze offers its cloud storage services through two companion applications that are installed simultaneously. The primary function is that of a backup application, which periodically syncs data with a cloud-based server during its operational cycle.

Backblaze suggests selecting the “Repeatedly” option when setting a schedule for backups, ensuring that all work in progress is safely stored elsewhere in the unlikely event of a catastrophic event, such as a meteor strike hitting your Mac.

The opposite app seamlessly reveals its restore aspect, boasting an impressive level of detail as you navigate through its file system with ease. The application offers a comprehensive backup system, presenting your data in an intuitive tree-like structure that allows for flexible organization and management, enabling you to strategically select specific files or restore your entire backup with ease.

You can restore apps to their original location or save restored versions with customizable file paths. After deleting a crucial check file from the depths of my Mac’s Library folder, I employed the Restore application to meticulously recreate the missing item on my desktop, where it functioned flawlessly.

Uploading is impressively swift, especially considering the reliability aspect of backups. This pace is matched by equivalent options, and the ability to receive your data as a hard drive in case everything else fails can be a true game-changer.

Backblaze Annoyances

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While using Backblaze isn’t its primary purpose, its limitations become apparent without Finder window integration; users must rely solely on the accompanying desktop and mobile apps instead.

Since it’s more practical to quickly transport data and documents between clients, wouldn’t a simpler cloud storage app, as we previously discussed, be a better option?

You don’t necessarily have to purchase Backblaze; there’s a free trial available, allowing you to test the service before committing.

Backblaze offers a comprehensive cloud-based backup solution for individuals dealing with sensitive data that requires robust security measures. While operating independently from platforms like Google Drive, this solution would essentially offer everything you need.

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