Review of Acronis Online Backup

Overview and History

Acronis started in 2001. Originally they concentrated on drive partitioning programs, then expanded their scope into the archiving and disaster recovery fields and now encompass the whole area of computer protection. Their most well known product: Acronis True Image is intended to backup hard drives, network drives and external media. In 2010 they released Acronis Backup and Recovery 10 for large business clients.
The Acronis Online backup solution was released in 2010 and can be setup as a standalone program or as part of the Acronis True Image Suite. This is Acronis' first offering in the online storage world and marks a big step in securing your data.

Feature Set

Security

Security is government grade: Data is secured with 256 AES encryption both during transfer and when help in their data centers. You can pick an encryption password which keeps your information even more protected . A note of warning: if you forget the password you will lose all the information you have backed up. So keep it safe!

Backup Features

Acronis Online Backup is a no nonsense backup scheduling service. When you have downloaded and run the client utility, simply choose the files and folders you wish to backup and then either set a schedule for the files to be backed up or select the 'Back Up Now' button. The client does back up open / in use files yet appears not to use 'block level incremental backups' which means that whole files will be archived not just the parts of the files that have been changed. This will mean that backups are slower than some other Online Backup providers.
File versioning is available and an unlimited amount of editions can be stored for up to 45 days. It is possible to set an exact number of editions to store.

Restore Features

Restores can be performed from either the client software or from the web portal. Either way, there is the ability to select which edition of a file you would like to retrieve. When selected, the file is returned to you as a zip (compressed) file which means you can save it anywhere you want.
If you have archived files multiple times in a day, then a scrollbar at the bottom of the client and online portal interfaces display the times of each successful backup and allows you to select these times to restore files from that particular backup.

Control and Analysis

If you use Acronis Online Backup in conjunction with another Acronis Product such as Acronis True Image then Online Backup flawlessly combines with the parent product and you have access to all the reporting, logging and controls from the parent application. If you use Acronis Online Backup as a standalone product, then there is no reporting or logging.
CPU System resource throttling can be set to Low, Medium or High and web bandwidth can be set to any limit you like. Proxy servers are also supported. Backup alerts can be sent to multiple email addresses and you can set up the client to perform pre- and post jobs, this can be very useful if lets say you want to backup a database to the local drive so it can be included in the online backup.

Interface

The client interface on the standalone edition is very simple and displays how much of your storage allowance you have used on each of up to five machines at a glance. It additionally displays when the next scheduled backup will take place. The web portal interface is almost identical to the client interface with the exception of the backup options.

Device Support

Currently only supports Windows client operating systems.

Limitations

No support for MAC, mobile devices or server platforms.
No way to extend past the 250Gb allowance.
No way to add more than 5 PCs to an account.

File Sharing and Collaboration

None.

Synchronization

Synchronization to the web portal but not between PCs.

Web 2.0 Integration

None.

Customer Support

Customer Support options are:

• LiveChat
• Knowledgebase
• Forums
• Email a question from a internet form
• Self-help options are: User Guides, FAQs, Demo, Tutorials and Testimonials
• Telephone support can be purchased on a per incident basic for $11.84.

Ease of Use

The client is straightforward to configure and very easy to run. The interface makes managing up to 5 PCs very easy and gives an instant overview of how much information has been archived for each PC as well as how much you have left. The interface is bright and uncluttered with no learning curve needed to get up and running.

Cost

• Initial setup is free
• Monthly Fee: $3.95 / mth
• Yearly Cost: $39.95 / year
• Initial storage allowance: 250Gb
• Number of PCs allowed: Up to 5 PCs can share the 250Gb allowance.
• Charge for additional storage: n/a
• Cost of extra devices / PCs / users: n/a
• E-billing facility: Yes
• Free Version / Free Trial: There is a 2 month free trial which gives 2Gb of archive space.
• Hidden costs: Phone support can be purchased on a single incident basis for $11.84.

Conclusion

This is Acronis' first try at an internet backup solution and I think they have done rather well. The fact that the utility can be standalone or integrated into the existing client software is a brilliant touch and gives flexibility for users. There are a few items absent from the standalone version, for example reporting and centralized control of all PCs within one account. But these will probably become available in time.

The single plan offers a generous 250Gb of storage for a very reasonable cost and the client can be setup to use as much or as little resource and bandwidth as you wish. The interface is clear and easy to use and file restoring is quick and reliable.

To sum up Acronis have made a solid, straightforward and very reliable online backup solution at a great price which is underpinned by the Acronis name: A worldwide leader in backup technology. A great option from a great name.
If you want even more security, then buy one of their suites , such as Acronis True Image Home and get complete PC protection.