IDrive

Spare copies of valuable data can't be called backups if they are stored on the local disk. If the entire hard drive fails, you will lose everything, including that which you called "backups." The best solution is to store the data on the cloud, which can be done on the fly, with the right application. An excellent example is IDrive. It can back up any data to the cloud, without asking for too much user input. The application gives you easy access to your online backups and it allows you to restore the data at a moment's notice.

Unlike certain cloud storage services, which claim to be backup applications, IDrive actually comes with various options for backing up data. It provides a clean and intuitive user interface, on which you can choose what files or folders to back up, set up schedules, manage your uploaded data and perform other operations, on separate tabs. You can browse through your local files and folders, on the application's interface, select them and click a button to start backing them up right away.

Uploaded items are displayed on the same window, but on a different tab, so you don't have to launch a web browser and log into your account to access your backups. The application allows you to restore data however you want, from individual files to entire folders. The restoring operation is identical to the backup one. All you have to do is select one or more items and click a button to start restoring. Alternatively, you can simply drag and drop the data to your desktop or on a Finder window.

As previously mentioned, the application can be scheduled to back up data automatically. It can back up on certain days or on a daily basis, at specific hours. Additionally, you can set it to send email notifications, to back up locally and make other tweaks. Being a cloud-based application, IDrive provides support for file synchronization. This means that you can make your uploaded data available on other computers and on mobile devices, if you link them to the same account.