{"id":87871,"date":"2019-06-01T02:16:34","date_gmt":"2019-06-01T09:16:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intego.com\/mac-security-blog\/?p=87871"},"modified":"2020-08-12T15:35:07","modified_gmt":"2020-08-12T22:35:07","slug":"how-and-why-you-should-backup-macs-to-the-cloud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intego.com\/mac-security-blog\/how-and-why-you-should-backup-macs-to-the-cloud\/","title":{"rendered":"How and why you should backup Macs to the cloud"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Backing up your Mac is vital. Any data that you don\u2019t have multiple copies of is vulnerable to loss or corruption. From cherished photos of your children to essential work documents, any digital information can abruptly vanish in the event of hardware failure or theft. It pays to be prepared.<\/p>\n

\"\"Apple makes it easy to safeguard your data. Time Machine is built into every Mac \u2013 just plug in an external hard drive ($50 will buy a small, almost silent, portable 1TB one), confirm when macOS asks if you want to use it for Time Machine, and your data will start getting backed up.<\/p>\n

Intego\u2019s Personal Backup<\/strong> \u2013 part of the Mac Premium Bundle<\/a> \u2013\u00a0takes things further, enabling you to clone a drive so you have a bootable backup, make selective backups, and gain more control over scheduling. We have an article comparing the two backup tools: Personal Backup and Time Machine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But whichever local backup system(s) you use, it’s not enough. After all, if a computer is stolen, drives attached to it will probably be stolen as well; and fires aren\u2019t terribly selective about what they burn. To fully protect your data, you should also backup to the cloud.<\/p>\n

Cloud backups explained<\/h2>\n

\"\"Do not conflate cloud storage<\/em> and cloud backup<\/em>. Apple\u2019s iCloud Drive \u2013 and similar services like Dropbox and Google Drive \u2013\u00a0sync data between devices, keeping copies of your documents in the cloud. But they are not backup services, and they generally only house a relatively small subset of your data.<\/p>\n

iCloud Drive, for example, holds data specifically saved to it via macOS and iOS apps. Optionally<\/em>, you can also sync your Desktop and Documents folders to iCloud, and you might store photos there as well, via Apple’s Photos app. Dropbox, meanwhile, syncs only what is placed in the Dropbox folder. By contrast, full backup systems save anything you deem important \u2013\u00a0wherever it happens to be stored on your Mac.<\/p>\n

Various cloud backup options exist: Backblaze<\/a>; Carbonite<\/a>; iDrive<\/a>; SugarSync<\/a>; Crashplan<\/a>; and more. For a monthly fee, they will store your files on their cloud servers, which you can subsequently restore if you’ve lost data. Generally, these services also hold older versions of files for a limited time as well; and some offer mobile apps for accessing data from an iPhone or iPad.<\/p>\n

Get started with Backblaze<\/h2>\n

Each cloud backup service has a unique feature set \u2013 and limitations \u2013 so compare your needs against what they offer. Backblaze is a good option for newcomers. It has unlimited storage, and no file-size limits. Setting things up merely requires you head to the Backblaze website<\/a>, create a new account, download the installer, and follow the instructions. You get 15 days for free, after which you\u2019ll pay $6 per month (less if paying for a year or two upfront).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Backup is automatic, and, subsequently, you needn\u2019t do anything, but Backblaze\u2019s settings can be tweaked if you like. Head to System Preferences, click Backblaze Backup<\/strong>, and click Settings<\/strong>. There are many options within, but these are the most important:<\/p>\n