Review of Data Deposit Box Online Backup

Overview and History

The first utility for Data Deposit Box was invented by Tim Jewell and Rob Schenkel. In 2002, Tim and Rob joined with Jamie Brenzel to create Acpana Business Systems Inc. In 2003, they launched Data Deposit Box to the general public. They are home office in Toronto, Canada and have a USA office in New York.
They offer a single plan which gives easy, low pricing and makes Data Deposit Box very attractive to both individuals and companies needing a easy, smart archive solution.

Feature Set

Security

Data Deposit Box provide the best security I have seen. Your information is encrypted with Blowfish 448bit encryption both during transfer and when stored in their data centers - that equates to bank and military grade protection! As well as that, your data are moved using a special protocol invented specifically for web archiving.
Also you are provided with your own logon details that create a unique encryption key and ensure that no one - not even the administrators at Data Deposit Box - can access your files.
On the physical side, your data is held in a carrier grade (that's the highest grade) data center with redundant hardware at every level, fire suppression systems and 24x7 real guards.

Archiving Features

Data Deposit Box own a patent on their Continuous Backup System which waits for files to be altered, copies the changes, compresses them , encrypts them and securely transfers them to their data centers. This allows for faster backups and lets open files such as Outlook to be backed up without closing the program first.
File versioning is active: By default 3 copies of all files will be kept, yet this can be amended to a maximum of 28 if so required. Yet, each version - which just holds the alterations from the previous version - counts towards your storage amount.
When first installed, Data Deposit Box automatically picks several folders in your local profile: My Documents, Desktop, Favorites, and Outlook Express. You can easily change, add or delete folders from the backup list by using the client software.

Restore Features

Restores are very straightforward, simply right-click the Data Deposit Box icon in the system tray and click Restore. Now navigate to the folder you want to recover, right-click and select restore.
Previous versions of files can be retrieved via the internet site.

Control and Analysis

There is a clever function called: 'Backup and Resume': Backups automatically wait when the keyboard or mouse is active to give more processor speed and internet bandwidth. When the keyboard and mouse are idle for a while, the backup will continue from where it left off.

Interface

The client program interface is rather old-style - nearly to the point of retro - and looks very corporate. However, it operates well, used few resources and shows you all the information you need.
The internet site is rather prettier yet also feels very corporate. That said, it does offer a wealth of information and configuration options. There is even a Corporate Administration section where you can setup all the users you need to use the service.
The reporting section tells you exactly what has been archived and when. The My Data area uses a straightforward tree navigation system to hunt down any of your archived data along with a search function in case you can't remember where a particular file is hiding.

Device Support

At the time of writing there is support for MACs and PCs via the client. Any online enabled device can access the backed up files but the devices are unable to be backed up themselves.

Limitations

The more you archive, the more you have to pay.

File Sharing and Collaboration

Private file sharing is enabled on the online site and can be configured on individual files or entire folders. Each share can be given a unique password and this can be sent out along with a unique internet address to allow access to the specific files and folders you want shared. There is also an online photo album feature that can be shared in the same way. In both cases, files can be viewed and downloaded but not amended.
Public file sharing and file collaboration is unavailable.

Synchronization

Synchronization is only available from the desktop software to the web portal. Not between devices.

Web 2.0 Integration

None.

Customer Support

Phone support is available in standard business hours. There is a lack of live chat, forum or blog. However, you can contact support using email or by completing the internet form. They seem very keen on self-help and offer a detailed knowledgebase / FAQs section. There are also testimonials, tutorials, a demo and webinars available.
There is not a free version, however, there is a 15 day trial.

Ease of Use

Both the internet and client interfaces are straightforward to navigate around and use. Once setup, you really don't notice the desktop client working accept for the icon in the system tray gently blinking to indicate a backup is underway. There are loads of options available, however, everything is well laid out and looks good - if a bit retro.

Cost

• Initial setup: free
• Monthly Cost: $2 / Gb / mth
• Initial permitted storage amount: unlimited
• Cost of additional storage: $2 / Gb / Mth
• Cost of additional devices / PCs / users: unlimited
• Referral Program: Yes. $10 is credited to your account and the account of the people you refer once they pay their first invoice.
• E-billing facility: Yes
• Hidden cost: File versions add towards your storage usage, so only set versioning to the amount you actually need.

Conclusion

Overall Data Deposit Box is a solid, really secure online archive service. The client's styling is a touch dated but it has that 'built to last' feel which gives the impression that this product will never let you down and will last forever. The backup features are great, although the lack of an ability to schedule backups is a bit hard to get used to. During testing, the first archive of 2Gb of data took a long time: Over 4 hours, yet this has to be weighed against the point that there was nearly zero processor or bandwidth reduction because the client stops whenever you use the PC.
The pricing is good if you have a small amount of data that requires protecting on several computers. If you have a lot of data then this program could get quite expensive. Additionally you will need to watch data expansion if you want to control costs.
The private sharing and photo album abilities are nice touches yet it would be better to see this expanded by links with internet document services like Google Docs and Zoho as well as photo editing services.
As a final summary we would say that Data Deposit Box is a great solution if you have a small amount of data spread across multiple machines. If you have a lot of data then there are cheaper solutions available.