When one of our phones was unceremoniously stolen a few months ago, we had no cause for panic because our phone photos were backed up, as we like to say, “six ways from Sunday.” If you’re wondering what six ways from Sunday looks like to an I.T. professional, today is your lucky day. There are tons of other services out there for backup, but we’re just going to talk about some of the most popular and reliable. It would be ironic indeed to get attached to a startup company’s backup app, then have the company go under and lose your data.
Backing up to Google Photos/Drive
We recommend using the auto backup feature to back up your photos directly to Google Photos. Google users are automatically granted 15 GB of space, divided between Google Drive and Google Photos. To enable this feature, simply go to this link and follow the simple instructions for your device, whether it’s an Android or iOS device: https://support.google.com/plus/answer/1647509
Apparently, Google allows you back up an unlimited number of standard size photos and videos for free. To Google, standard size means that photos are 2048px or less on the longest edge and videos are less than 15 minutes long and have 1080p resolution or less. Fortunately, if you start approaching the free storage limit, you’ll see a notification, and if you run out of storage, Google will automatically switch to backing up at standard size. Nice!
Backing up to Dropbox
Download the latest version of the Dropbox app for either Android or iOS. The first time you start up the app, you’ll be prompted to select your Camera Upload settings. Decide whether to allow Dropbox to upload using Wi-Fi and/or your cellular data plan (if applicable). Each photo and video will be automatically uploaded once to your Camera Uploads folder.
The only problem with Dropbox is the neverending hunt for more and more Dropbox space. The most common way to earn more Dropbox space is to refer a friend. With each friend who installs the app, you receive an additional 500 MB of space, up to a maximum of 16 GB. Refer to this link to find out if there are other promotions you might take advantage of to get more space: https://www.dropbox.com/getspace
Backing up to Microsoft OneDrive
If you have Office 365 for Home or Business, you should strongly consider backing up to Microsoft OneDrive. Office 365 gives you a TERABYTE of online storage, and even if your subscription lapses, your stuff doesn’t disappear; you just can’t add to it. There’s no beating it. You can download an app for Android, iOS, and Windows phone. This article tells you exactly how to implement a backup for each type of device.
Backing up with BitTorrent Sync
The idea of using BitTorrent may give you a shudder, but this is a perfectly legitimate use of torrents. BitTorrent works by sending tiny packets of information separately through the ether and reassembling them on another machine… kind of like the transporter on Star Trek episodes of old. That said, the BitTorrent Sync method means backing up your photos on a physical hard drive, such as your laptop, desktop, or networked hard drive. This is NOT a cloud backup.
To set up BitTorrent, you download the app and go to the “Backup” section. You’l tap on the folder icon, and locate your phone’s photo directory (usually named “DCIM” or “Camera”). You then use the app to generate a secret code, which you can email to yourself. Install the desktop version of BitTorrent Sync on your computer, then select “Add a Sync Folder.” You’ll enter the secret key, then select where you want your photos to go. Whenever your phone and desktop computer are on the same WiFi network, BitTorrent Sync will back them up. This is a more adventurous method of backup than the others—and to be fair, your desktop’s hard drive is a lot more likely to fail than Dropbox’s or Microsoft’s servers, so we would not recommend this as your first line backup. On the positive side, your backup is only limited by the size of your desktop computer’s hard drive.
Caveats About Backing up to iCloud (for iOS Devices Only)
If you have an iPhone, you are probably backing up to iCloud. But iCloud backups are not complete or permanent. Over time, older photos are removed from your iCloud photo stream, so you are responsible for backing up manually. At the moment, iCloud only gives you 5 GB of storage space, which also includes your email. You can purchase extra storage; a terabyte is $19.99 per month, which is a bit steep compared to other providers.
If you need help with backup systems—either for a phone or for a business—we’re here to help. Drop us a line and let us help you get back to business.
