Australia is not only a popular travel destination, but it is also a country that is up to date with the latest in technology. However, there is a lack of good cloud backup and storage service and users in Australia may struggle to find a local option that works well for them. To help them to find a solution, we have prepared a list of the best cloud backup services that offer all the necessary functions and good performance to backup data securely. You may be wondering what is the reason why Australia doesn’t offer much in terms of cloud backup and storage services. The main issue is that the data and information laws in the country, are very restrictive and intrusive. This prevents cloud services from operating in Australia.
The Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (ARPA) is in charge of incoming and outgoing data transfers. This includes offshore data centers that operate through the cloud. Their purpose is to reinforce the Australian National Privacy Act and its successor, the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), which dictate the way in which data is used, stored, modified and shared.
The law establishes that an Australian cloud company that owns a data center in the country, has to get authorization from ARPA to transfer data from that center to one in another country. Furthermore, ARPA requests access to all the hosting facilities located abroad, which would allows them to carry out background checks whenever they want to. This puts privacy in a very vulnerable position.
Privacy issues in Australia
The majority of cloud backup companies want to offer their customers a service that helps them to keep their privacy protected. At the same time, they want to manage servers across multiple countries to make data easily accessible, whenever needed. However, the strict laws in Australia and their invasive nature, prevent most cloud services from operating in the country. We will go through the best cloud backup services for users in Australia who want to enjoy security, good speed and convenient prices.
CrashPlan
CrashPlan was established in 2007 and it is a very reliable option on the cloud backup industry. It can be easily customized and offers a good selection of features including affordable rates, end-to-end encryption and unlimited data storage. CrashPlan’s desktop client is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux and its convenient web version can be used anywhere. The high level of customization that CrashPlan offers, make it an ideal solution for anyone who wants to adjust the settings to match their needs. You can even select the level of security that you want for your data, which is key for users in Australia.
CrashPlan supports options like backup scheduling, which allows you to backup data when the computer is not in use, or whenever you want. You can also adjust bandwidth throttling and you can exclude some file types from the backing up process. The service is easy to use and you can choose how often you back up the data and how many file versions are created. The data is encrypted before it is uploaded and it will only be decrypted when you download the file. If privacy is your main concern, consider getting a private encryption key. Data can be backed up to the cloud, a network drive or another computer.
Carbonite
Carbonite is a reliable solution that has been in the market since 2005. They offer all the features that you need to avoid losing your data. With Carbonite, you can enjoy security and versatility. It supports private encryption, incremental backup, mobile access and bandwidth throttling. It also provides software for Mac and Windows, as well as unlimited backup space. There is also a web version, but the majority of features can only be accessed using the desktop app. The main downside of Carbonite is that you need to get the Plus or a Prime plan to be able to backup attached drives, network or videos. Still, Carbonite can be a convenient choice and it offers a trial period that allows you to try the service for 15 days.
SugarSync
SugarSync is a practical service for syncing your files across all your devices, but it also offers great backup capabilities. Its combined functionality makes it a complete and reliable solution. There are two separate folders for syncing and for backing up your data. SugarSync is easy to use, but it comes with some limitations. For instance, there is no backup scheduling, although it features bandwidth throttling. If you are mainly concerned about syncing your data and only have some basic backup requirements, SugarSync can be the right choice.
iDrive
iDrive offers cloud backup, up to 5GB of free storage and a folder specifically designed for file syncing. Once you install iDrive and the software is running on your computer, it will scan the hard drive to give you a list of all the data that should be included in the backup process. You can modify the auto-recommendation that tells you which files should be backed up, but this has to be done as soon as possible. Otherwise, iDrive will start to back up data once it has scanned the hard drive. The main downside is that it doesn’t offer unlimited storage, unlike other services.
However, the highest capacity available is 10TB, which should be more than enough for most people. In terms of security, iDrive applies a high level of encryption during transfer and storage and you can also opt for a private encryption key. There is also backup scheduling and continuous protection for your files. The file syncing option is simple and iDrive is designed to help you to back up your data without hassle.
Backblaze
If you are looking for a high level of security, consider Backblaze, an option that provides strong encryption, unlimited storage and a very convenient price. Backblaze backs up your data automatically and it allows you to exclude the folders that you don’t want to include in the process. The service is ideal for new users and those who want convenience above everything. It offers backup scheduling and bandwidth throttling and there are different methods to restore your data. The first option is to download a zip file from Backblaze’s website with all your data. The second way is to request them to send you a USB drive with your files. Backblaze offer a full encryption package and private encryption keys.
