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HP floats a file backup service in the cloud

By Michael Hatamoto, BetaNews

April 7, 2008, 4:04 PM

One thing you start to notice about companies doing business "in the cloud" is that it's becoming harder to tell whether they were software or hardware companies to begin with. This morning, Hewlett-Packard publicly launched a subscription-based backup service where the "cloud" houses duplicate data.

HP's Upline allows users to share their stored data with other Internet users via uniquely created URLs. Though HP offered similar services in the past, Upline was created using technology from Opelin, a startup company it recently acquired. Opelin created the Titanize software solution, though anyone searching for Opelin Titanize will now be redirected to HP Upline.

While Upline can be used online, HP has a widget that can be used with Windows XP and Windows Vista, that automatically retrieves data from the computer and sends it directly to a data center hosted by HP. The service gives customers another alternative for backing up data to ensure against data loss.

Users cannot back up disk images using Upline, but can save data to the HP cloud and another hard drive partition or USB flash drive simultaneously.

Users interested in testing Upline have access to a one-year license and up to 1 GB of data storage for free. HP offers three different subscription plans, all of which offer unlimited storage:

Home & Home Office - Home users with up to three PCs can use Upline with one log-in account and password for $59 per year.

Family - For as many as three subscriptions for $149 per year.

Professional - Small businesses with up to 100 PCs, multi-user administrative dashboard, enhanced tech support for $299 per year.

Online data backup using cloud computing and other similar services has exploded in popularity in recent months. EMC has a similar service, Mozy, that lets users back up data. And BelnSync also has a similar online data service designed for use by businesses and professionals.

HP Upline is currently available only for US-based users. The Palo Alto-based company will eventually bundle Upline with all new HP products.

Add a Comment (7 Comments)

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By schivelrybrn

posted Apr 8, 2008 - 9:36 AM

Why not just buy a external HDD and backup your data to it. plus you will be able to store images of your system drives. and no yearly cost.

Score: 0

By tscar13

posted Apr 8, 2008 - 9:04 AM

I agree that online back-up is the wave of the future but I don't think this is a good thing. It will just make hackers jobs easier. Interestingly, most of the back-up services that I have seen have come from Hardware people which may explain why they don't understand the risks.

Hackers, ither than one child who sends me fake email which are a joke, given my system set-up, tend to focus on big targets where in one swoop they can gather thousands of pieces of info on people.

Of course it makes it even easier for the government to snoop which is already to easy for them.

Score: 0

By amharica

posted Apr 8, 2008 - 12:29 AM

Online backup is becoming common these days. It is estimated that 70-75% of all PC's will be connected to online backup services with in the next decade.

Thousands of online backup companies exist, from one guy operating in his apartment to fortune 500 companies.

Choosing the best online backup company will be very confusing and difficult. One website I find very helpful in making a decision to pick an online backup company is:

http://www.BackupReview.info

Have a look here, too:
http://www.backupreview....rticle&article_id=9

This site lists more than 400 online backup companies in its directory and ranks the top 25 on a monthly basis.

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted Apr 7, 2008 - 9:38 PM

Now all we need (in Australia at least) is a decent upload speed. I'm on the fastest available connection (to me) and it takes me 12 hours to backup a 1GB file to Mozy - and that's if I don't want to do anything else with my 'net connection at the same time!

Bring on decent upload speeds, please. 256kb/s up is ****ing stupid. :P

Score: 0

By dstratton

posted Apr 7, 2008 - 4:26 PM

Wow, good pricing. Mozy only gives you one PC for $59. I'll wait for reviews, but it may be worth a switch!

Score: 0

By Michael.Hatamoto

posted Apr 7, 2008 - 4:33 PM

If you have 1GB or less of data you want stored, feel free to give the one-year trial a test run! :)

Score: 0

By dstratton

posted Apr 7, 2008 - 4:56 PM

Yah, I'd gladly do that, but then if you have 2gb or less you can do that with Mozy. I'm at about the 3gb backup size right now, so unfortunately the HP free trial wouldn't do me too much good at this point. (I'd have to stop the Mozy client and run the HP client.)

Score: 0

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