Mozy Online Backup Review Discussion

By: Rick Vanover

Mozy online backupoperates under the notion that protecting data doesn't have to be difficult or expensive -- as long as you back up data via an Internet connection. Does this work well? How do I get started? We break down what Mozy is and how the service works in this review.

Read the full content of this Article: Mozy Online Backup Review

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What does it mean by 4.95 per computer? If you computer dies do you need to pay again to access it from another computer?

In other words can you access the data from another computer?

 

After digging a bit more into this product (+ and -) I would approach this very very carefully - especially the part about security.

. Review #1
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13554_3-9752350-33.html

. Review #2
http://www.bmighty.com/hardware_software/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201311352&pgno=6

Granted that both reviews were from 2007, but obviously Mozy has not made any changes to this since then either.

cheers ...

 

I bought Mozy as a backup backup - that is, I have Apple's Time Machine and also Mobile Me running backups. But Time Machine is located in my office, so one fire or theft and everything is gone. Mobile Me backs up my mail and contacts type of data, but not my work and personal files. Mozy, I thought, would be a good way to have an offiste backup in case something goes horribly wrong with the first two systems.

At $4.95/month for unlimited backup, Mozy seems like a great deal. But that's only if it works and the files are backed up. Installed and started exactly one month ago, I've had numerous problems. The first indication was when I noticed that despite a "Your files are backed up" message, there were errors in the logs and history. Hmmm. Files are NOT backed up. Mozy would report "Account in use" or "Server#" errors. With no telephone support, their online database advises restarting your computer and restarting the backup. I tried this for a couple days, multiple instances, and finally emailed Mozy Support. A day after (or was it two?) after sending my email, I get a canned response saying my support ticket had been received and assigned, and someone would contact me within 24 hours.

OK, now that's 3 more days with no successful backup. And the ensuing support, with having opened multiple help tickets, consisted of someone (I suspect overseas) copying & pasting in what appeared to be the same type of non-help I was getting from their online help database. Basically, mail them the logs (I did). Restart your system & backups (I did).

Eventually my backups are now saying they have completed successfully. This was with no changes on my side. Was it a Mozy server problem? A "fix" without knowing what went wrong, or how it was repaired, doesn't feel like a fix. It feels like I'm waiting for the next thing to go wrong.

At this point, I don't trust my Mozy backups. But I'm letting them run anyway, because $4.95/month seems like a good gamble (yes, GAMBLE) on possibly having some files backed up sometimes.

Just for the record, I'm running on a brand new iMac, backing up 45 GB of data. Neither spec seems like it should tax the Mozy systems.

I strongly advise any Mozy users to frequently check their logs and history files.

 

Good review but I have to say there are too many of these programs. But Mozy seems like a good backup program.

 

Be careful, be very very careful. The Mozy DVD next day delivery is not available to everyone.

I have just had a hard drive failure, and was initially grateful that I'd organised Mozy Home Unlimited as a backup. As I have 38 Gb to retrieve, I wanted to request a DVD. However, I was unable to find the "request DVD" button on the website.

So a week after the hard drive crash, and endless e-mails and live chats later, all frustratingly focussed on their assumption I can see a button I cannot, and after I finally sent a series of screen dumps of what I can see on their website, I still do not have my data on a DVD, and have just received this e-mail:

--------------------
Hello M W,

I apologize for the delayed response.

Unfortunately there is absollutely no issue with your computer neither your data. The fact is that your data is stored on the dub1 data storage server. And people who have their data stored on dub1 do not get an option to request for DVD restore.

I am extremely sorry to tell this. Please excuse us. I am sorry that I was not able to help you with this issue.

Regards,
Mahesh,
Mozy Technical Support.

Ticket Details
Case ID: AYV-592559
----------------------------------
No indication of where to go next, and in the mean time there's the small fact that I naively paid up front for two years of their service.

 

Sorry to bring up an old thread. I'm curious if Mozy or any online backup service can backup my NAS or files located in mapped network drives in windows? i have about 500GB i need to backup.