Crowdsourcing online backup software features and solutions : SOS Partner Beta Group

Our engineering road map has always been a busy one. But what if it wasn’t the right one? What if it could have been made better, if we based it solely on what our customers and online backup reseller partners had to say? We’ve taken the “what if” out of the sentence and made this a reality by creating the SOS Partner Beta Group.

What is the SOS Partner Beta Group?

The SOS Partner Beta Group is a forum for and by our wholesale partners. Our partners, CEO, Product Manager, and Director of Marketing are constantly discussing and voting on features and products that our online backup solution should encompass. This is crowdsourcing at its best!

How does crowdsourcing work in the SOS Partner Beta Group? 

The SOS Partner Beta Group is a permission based group – so you do have to be a partner to join. Right now, there are over 40 features being voted on. Members of the SOS Partner Beta Group can even see which ones are planned and currently in development. New feature suggestions will be voted on and placed in our engineering development cycle to be worked on over the next 2 – 6 weeks. This process will keep going in order to create the best online backup software in the business.

Considering becoming an SOS Online Backup Partner? 

Are you not yet an SOS Online Backup partner, but you’d like to participate in a similar group? Don’t worry, we’ve got your covered. Be one of the first to start a discussion in our “Considering Becoming a Partner” forum. Submit your feature requests, suggestions, and thoughts today!

Pricing and Pitching the Cloud: A Special Webinar Series in August for SOS Partners

During the month of August we’ll be hosting live webinars focused on helping our partners develop the best strategies for pricing, marketing and delivering online backup to their customers. We’ve also scheduled two webinars dedicated to those partners in Europe/Africa and Australia/New Zealand that will focus on regional concerns like bandwidth, data center locations and security policies.

If you’re a current partner don’t forget to join the private Facebook group.

Special August Webinar Series: “Pricing & Pitching the Cloud”

(go here for the full schedule)

During each webinar we’ll discuss industry growth, program features and end with a Q&A session (not to mention PRIZES).

The Right Price for the Right Customer: Selling Online Backup as an MSP
Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 11:00am PDT [RSVP]

Top 3 Online Backup Sales Pitches: Tips for MSPs
Thursday, August 9, 2012 at 11:00am PDT [RSVP]

Top 5 Security Features Your Online Backup Customers Want Now
Thursday, August 16, 2012 at 11:00am PDT [RSVP]

Selling Online Backup in Europe & South Africa: Tips for MSPs
Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 5:00pm CEST [RSVP]

Sell More Online Backup on the Web: Website Best-Practices for MSPs and IT Consultants
Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 11:00am PDT [RSVP]

Top 3 Competitive Features of Your New Online Backup Solution
Thursday, August 30, 2012 at 11:00am PDT [RSVP]

Selling Online Backup in Australia & New Zealand: Tips for MSPs
Friday, August 31, 2012 at 9:00am UTC [RSVP]

Hope you’ll be able to join us!

In the meantime, let’s connect on Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Google+

Another big update to our Android app: scheduled backup is here!

The newest version of SOS for Android adds a fantastic new feature: scheduled backup. Set your phone or tablet to automatically check for new items once per day and back them up to your private cloud. We also added an option to perform a backup each time the device is plugged into power.

Plus, there’s a new Favorites list! You can “star” any folder in your cloud to add it to Favorites for quick access.

If you have an Android device, you need SOS for Android on-board protecting your pictures, videos, music, apps, SD card and more.

The awesome download is here.

Let us know what you think: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Google+

Cloud Storage Reviews: The Cloud is Here to Stay – Wired.com

Wired.com published a fascinating and very revealing article about the use of cloud services in business. At SOS, we love statistics, and this article is chock full of them. Check out some of these insightful statistics about cloud backup in business, brought to you by Wired.com:

1. 70 percent of businesses are either using or investigating cloud computing solutions.

2. In 2011, two-thirds of companies surveyed were planning or had already deployed cloud-based technologies.

3. 30% of small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) used cloud software in 2011.

4. Worldwide IT spending on cloud computing has increased more than 25 percent from 2008 to 2012.

5. 48 percent of U.S. government agencies moved at least one workflow to the cloud following the new requirement that federal agencies adopt a “cloud-first” policy.

For all those businesses that have readily adopted cloud computing and embraced it with open arms, there is a group of hold out SMBs that are resisting the move to the cloud. The article approaches another potent topic – arguments against cloud computing.

Argument 1: cloud computing is just another iteration of SaaS and ASP, which ultimately failed.

Wired counters this argument by observing that bandwidth of much cheaper these days, which was a major impediment to ASP and SaaS in the past.

Argument 2: Security and compliance are weaker in the cloud

Actually, it’s often stronger and better. Wired quotes a 2010 survey that showed 57 percent of respondents agreed that cloud computing actually improved their security.

Argument 3: Cloud computing is too expensive

SMBs often find cloud computing to be affordable and allow for the outsourcing of core competencies such as security and data center hosting. This brings them the benefits of this cloud-centric security knowledge, without the cost. A study cited by Wired notes that 74 percent of the respondents said that using the cloud reduced their infrastructure costs.

Are you considering backing your business up to the cloud? You can start a 175GB 14 day free trial with SOS Online Backup for Business right now. Check us out, see why SOS has won the PC Magazine Editor’s Choice award four times. Download the free 175GB trial here.

SOS also offers affordable server backup solutions (without a hardware purchase requirement!). Backup your entire business – from workstations to Exchange servers to SQL servers with SOS. Learn more about our total business backup solution, SOS ServerSave.

Data Backup Free Trial – SOS Online Backup Announces Version 5.2 : Faster, Simpler, Stronger

Today we’re excited to announce version 5.2 of the SOS Online Backup and SOS ServerSave backend upload agent. To put it succinctly, this new technology is faster, simpler, and stronger.

First, we’ll roll out this new technology to our SOS ServerSave users. Very soon, you’ll receive information about how to download the new executable, which will install right over your existing client.

Here are some major feature updates that you can look forward to. If you’ve been waiting to get started on SOS ServerSave – now’s the time!

SOS was fast before, now we’re even faster.

SOS ServerSave has been updated with version 5.2 of the backend upload agent. This new upload agent will increase your upload speeds nearly 2x. The following examples illustrate how much faster the new SOS ServerSave upload capabilities are:

• A 15 GB file uploads 25% faster
• A 200 GB file uploads 28% faster
• On a 100,000 file set, it uploads 43% faster.

SOS software is designed to perform the fastest initial uploads. 

SOS ServerSave and SOS Online Backup now benefit from improved Intellicache functionality. This means that the software is able to cut down on network and disk usage.

SOS has never throttled your back ups, but now you can better maximize your connection speed with version 5.2. This new version of the upload agent actually adapts to the network connection quality that is being used, and improves upload speed. Additionally, if you happen to lose your internet connection during a backup, you’ll be able to resume the transfer at any time.

Speed is also a benefit of our improved compression and encryption performance, which does apply to bare metal images as well as standard files and folders. SOS software still encrypts data locally, in transit and at rest in the data center – but now we do it faster.

Enhanced Recovery Features

SOS Online Backup and SOS ServerSave’s recoveries will now be faster, and resumable. Recovery will no longer require temporary disk space.

New Centralized Management and Reporting

Pulse Centralized Management is getting a new role in SOS ServerSave. It is no longer necessary to install Pulse as a separate management agent, because it’s now included in Online Backup & Recovery Manager.  You’ll also be able to receive email reports with a list of the “top 20 errors”. We’ve also made detailed backup progress descriptions available.

Hey you – are you shopping around? 

If you are shopping around and considering SOS ServerSave for your business’ server backup solution, click here to request a free trial!

Or if you’d like to get into the nitty-gritty of what SOS ServerSave offers, click here to view our features grid.

Cloud Storage Reviews : Cloud-Based Backup Continues to Gain Favor with Small to Medium Sized Businesses

Last week, Forrester Research released a report titled “Cloud-Based Backup Gaining Favor with SMBs: Report”, which once again confirms that SMBs are moving to the cloud in droves. Cloud backup software as a service and off site data centers are great for the SMBs.   Employing cloud backup services in their businesses allow them to invest in their core competency, rather than their IT services for internal stakeholders.

Why are SMBs moving to the cloud? 

The number one reason SMBs are moving to the cloud is data security. They are comfortable with the new environment and the safety it can provide to their data.

A secondary, though still important, reason for moving to the cloud is speed of implementation and deployment. The SOS ServerSave business backup solution can take as little as 10 minutes for a professional to install and prepare to back up a server. Getting backup processes up and running for an entire business truly is simple.

Growth opportunities for MSPs

Managed service providers selling backup solutions, like the SOS 360 Degree Partner Program, are well-poised to take advantage of this move to the cloud. MSPs are in a position to create complete disaster recovery plans, which include regular maintenance and automatically scheduled back ups. It is cost efficient for the SMB to outsource this work to a managed service provider that isn’t on staff, but is well-trained in data backup and disaster recovery.

Automatic backup is key

The Forrester Research report also highlights the fact that automatic backup is extremely important to cloud backup plans. Humans are inherently forgetful and bad at remembering to do backups at a specific time. It’s always best to employ backup software, like SOS Online Backup, that allows IT managers and MSPs to schedule backups hourly, daily, and weekly.

Learn more about SOS Online Backup’s server backup solution and reseller program by clicking on the links below.

SOS ServerSave is total cloud backup solution for business. This software suite includes:

• Exchange backup and granular recovery
• Bare metal backup for servers
• Cloud Backup for SQL servers, SharePoint servers, Windows servers, and fileservers
• Laptop fleet backup
• Simple backup and recovery from the cloud

Click here to learn more about SOS ServerSave.

The SOS 360 Degree Partner Program for MSPs offers a complete business in a box for partner resellers.  The program includes:

• Option to sell SOS ServerSave and/or SOS Online Backup for files and folders
• Customized website template with integrated merchant account
• Re-branded software
• Re-brandable sales and marketing materials
• Partner Resource Center
• Live Trainings

Click here to explore the SOS 360 Degree Partner Program.

Back up Plan Online : Three Huge Reasons Why Proper Online Backup Matters

SmallBusinessComputing.com has released a great, and concise, article by Paul Mah titled “3 Reasons Proper Data Backup Matters”. We definitely agree with all three. This is an article certainly worth reading for any business who is looking to institute off site backup.

This article reminds us that online backup isn’t just a mere best practice, but it’s a necessity to true disaster recovery planning. True disasters occur without your detection or knowledge. Which also means you can’t plan for the extent of the damage, so it is necessary to have backed up ALL of your data that could be at risk.

Disasters that destroy business data typically fall into three main categories:

1. Malicious intent

While many of us think that malice generally occurs in the outside of the safety of our offices, this article reminds us that upset employees are capable of compromising internally stored data.

The disgruntled IT worker is hardly a new phenomenon. Indeed, the past year alone has seen some prominent cases where former employees took it upon themselves to erase entire banks of virtualized servers, or even wipe out all the corporate mailboxes in the company. Clearly, the use of a NAS (or SAN) would have offered no defense against such shenanigans by insiders. Only a comprehensive disaster recovery strategy where everything is backed up on a regular basis may have a chance of returning things to normalcy within an acceptable period of time.

2. Damage to storage medium

Flash drives aren’t off site backup – or backup at all for that matter. This is because they are mobile and therefore vulnerable and backups are not done incrementally or automatically to the device. The use of flash drives should be very limited in a business environment.

Many workers make the erroneous assumption that storing data on a portable hard disk drive (HDD) or USB flash drive constitutes a backup. This is certainly not the case, and such portable devices are in fact more susceptible to being misplaced, stolen, or damaged. In addition, it is important to remember that not all storage devices are designed for longevity in mind, or even for robust data preservation.

Do note that some mediums are particularly prone to damage, such as rewritable optical discs made withinferior dyes. Also, don’t be surprised if that suspiciously cheap USB flash drive you bought at the flea market abruptly stops working after a year or two.

3. Accidental deletion

Have you ever had the “uh oh” moment? That’s the moment of terror when your laptop dies, or is unplugged, while you’re in the middle of a 40 page presentation. This can happen inadvertently to emails, attachments and business servers as well. If online backups have been continuously and incrementally taking place, per an hourly or daily schedule, the recovery of these files will be simple.

I had an experience with this exact scenario just this weekend. When transferring thousands of email messages between two email servers, I carelessly opted to initiate the transfer moving key folders directly between the two locations. It was a bad decision because not all the data made it to the destination server before Outlook decided to call it quits (by crashing), even though the deletion from the origin took place immediately.

It’s very easy to start backing up your data securely off site. SOS offers simple and affordable ways to start backing up your data.

1. Free Business Backup Trial: This 175 GB trial is good for 14 days and includes the full-featured, award-winning SOS Online Backup software. It’s easy to upgrade after starting your trial and all your backed up data stays safe off site!

2. Android Backup App: This 15 GB account backs up your Android and your PC. It’s an easy download from the Android Market. Best of all, it’s just $4.95. Just download the software after creating your account inside the application.

3. Free iPhone App: This app is available in iTunes and comes with 5 GB of online backup for your PC for free! Just download the software after creating your account in the iPhone app.

File Backup & Archive : The Importance of Unlimited Versioning – SOS Online Backup

SOS Online Backup is proud to keep all of your data secure, all the time. No exceptions. Once your data is backed up, SOS believes it should stay backed up. This is why all of our plans – for business and for home – offer unlimited versioning.

What makes unlimited versioning such a critical part of online backup?

1. The “uh oh” moment. 

We’ve all had that moment – we accidentally close a document before we’ve saved it. Perhaps your dog  swipes a paw at your power cord and unplugs your computer. Accidental incidents like this are what cause the majority of data loss. Having a backed up all versions of your document on an hourly basis, you will find it much easier to go back and find the right version to work on.

2. Going back in time.

You don’t need a Delorean to go back in time! With SOS you can go back to any version or any file at any time. Would you like to know what changes you made to a financial spreadsheet right before you did your taxes in 2009? No problem, unlimited versioning will help you get there.

3. Compliance

If you’re operating a business, you know that regulation compliance is a complicated issue between your customers, you, and the government.  Some of these regulations involve online backup. Many regulations that request online backup do so for the reason that they want truly unlimited versioning to be a part of your company’s data practice. They want to know that you’ll be able to go back to any of your data at any time – and that you’ll never lose it.

Learn more about unlimited versioning with SOS Online Backup by clicking here. SOS does not limit its versioning capabilities to 30 days, 45 days, or even one year. All backed up versions of your data are stored safely offsite with SOS for as long as you like.

What’s your backup plan for business data? – Online Backup Saves the Day for Dougherty County Clerk of Court’s Office

WALB.com reported on January 23rd, 2012 that the Dougherty County Clerk of Court recently experienced what many businesses fear:  complete data loss by a simple “computer glitch”. More than 11 months of office data were wiped clean. The office estimated that it would have taken one year for employees to manually enter the data back into the system, which relies on data being stored electronically.

More than 11 months of records from Dougherty County civil and criminal cases disappeared from their computer files Wednesday.

This afternoon they were restored, but the city Information Technology folks aren’t sure what happened. Clerk of Superior Court Evonne Mull says fortunately the computer back up worked as it was supposed to. If it had failed it could have meant a monumental amount of work.

Now she has already taken steps to make sure the glitch doesn’t happen again. 

Workers at the Dougherty County Clerk of Courts office were relieved when their computer backups restored all the data files since February 11th, 2011 until January 18th, that just disappeared Wednesday.

Fortunately, Dougherty County Clerk of Courts’ story has a happy ending. Their data backup plan allowed them to quickly restore their lost records and save tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The I.T. department continues to look into the computer glitch, to find out what happened, and make sure their hardware doesn’t have any issues.

Evonne Mull has worked with her case management service, that provides the back up system, to make sure it is reliable. Now they will test the back up programs daily.

She recommends anyone that keeps data should make sure those back ups are in place and working properly. Mull had already applied for overtime for her office workers to re-input all those files.

Fortunately, they won’t have to do that.

Many businesses experience the same unexpected data loss that Dougherty County Clerk of Courts office did. For those that aren’t properly backing up data, it’s a very costly disaster. Data destruction comes in many forms: computer glitches, human error, deletion, theft, and of course, natural disaster. Develop a strategy for backing up your data. Whether you have servers, PCs, a laptop fleet, or external drives to backup  – SOS Online Backup has a solution.

View the original article on WALB.com by clicking here.

FBI and DHS Recommend Data Backup to Lessen Risk of Cyber Attacks : Data Backup & Recovery Plan 2012

Have you ever wondered how easy it is for criminals to access your files on your PC? Unfortunately, it’s very easy. It goes without saying that your data is very valuable to you. All kinds of sensitive information is stored on your computer: financial data, taxes, photos, and even items like music that you’ve paid for. If you own a business with several computers in use, you’re probably keeping valuable customer data as well as proprietary company data on those PCs. All of this data, if not properly backed up, is vulnerable to erasure or theft at any time.

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security recently released a report on cyber attacks. This report provided several recommendations on mitigating the risk of cyber attacks on individuals and businesses, which mainly employ the tactic of backing up data and protecting it safely off site, where it cannot be tampered with or accessed.

The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) encourage businesses and individuals to use mitigation strategies and best practices like:

• Implement a data back-up and recovery plan to maintain copies of sensitive or proprietary data in a separate and secure location. Backup copies of sensitive data should not be readily accessible from local networks.
• Regularly mirror and maintain an image of critical system files.
• Encrypt and secure sensitive information.
• Use strong passwords, implement a schedule for changing passwords frequently, and do not reuse passwords for multiple accounts.
• Enable network monitoring and logging where feasible.
• Be aware of social engineering tactics aimed at obtaining sensitive information.
• Securely eliminate sensitive files and data from hard drives when no longer needed or required.

As a business or an individual, keep in mind that laptops are particularly vulnerable to theft. They are mobile, lightweight, and contain precious data. By scheduling backups regularly, you’ll always be able to recover data to a new machine or laptop quickly and easily.

The report was originally posted on US-CERT on January 19th, 2012.