HDD vs SSD: What Does the Future for Storage Hold?

Customers frequently ask us whether and when we plan to move our cloud backup and data storage to SSDs (Solid-State Drives). That’s not a surprising question considering the many advantages SSDs have over magnetic platter type drives, also known as HDDs (Hard-Disk Drives). So what is in store for the future?

Welcome Alex!

As we sail past 500 petabytes of data stored, our Operations Department continues to grow. To that end we’ve added a brand new member to our Operations and Engineering teams, Alex! He straddles the line between Ops and Engineering, working on both internal and external systems, making sure they run smoothly. Lets learn a bit… Continue reading Welcome Alex!

The Challenges of Opening a Data Center — Part 1

In this series we’ll talk in general terms about the factors that an organization needs to consider when opening a data center and the challenges that must be met in the process. In Part 1, we look at the different types of data centers, the importance of location in planning a data center, data center certification, and the single most expensive factor in running a data center, power.

Ode to “Locate My Computer”

Description: Locate My Computer is a service that is provided to every Backblaze cloud backup customer for free. The service has a long history of helping users not only recover their data but also their physical computer, sometimes with much bigger outcomes. Like the time it led to the discovery of $1 million in counterfeit money.

Connect Veeam to the B2 Cloud Using StarWind VTL

In this post, we continue our Veeam/B2 series with a discussion of backing up Veeam to the Backblaze B2 Cloud using StarWind VTL. Using Veeam, StarWind VTL, and Backblaze B2 cloud storage is a superior alternative to tape as Backblaze B2 offers better economics, instant access, and faster recovery.

Backblaze and GDPR

Over the next few months the noise over GDPR will finally reach a crescendo. For the uninitiated, “GDPR” stands for “General Data Protection Regulation” and it goes into effect on May 25th of this year. GDPR is designed to protect how personal information of EU (European Union) citizens is collected, stored, and shared. The regulation… Continue reading Backblaze and GDPR

Early Challenges: Making Critical Hires

Hiring success shouldn’t be defined by finding and hiring the right person, but instead by the right person being successful and happy within the organization. Let’s look at who you need to hire, when to hire them, where to find them (and how to help them find you), and how to get them to join your company.

Server vs Endpoint Backup — Which is Best?

Both file server and endpoint backup have their places in an organization’s data security plan, but their use and value differ. If you already are using file server backup, adding endpoint backup will make a valuable contribution to your organization by reducing workload, improving productivity, and increasing confidence that all critical files are backed up.

All-In on Unlimited Backup

The cloud backup industry has seen its share of tumultuousness. BitCasa, Dell DataSafe, Xdrive, and a dozen others have closed up shop. Mozy, Amazon, and Microsoft offered, but later canceled, their unlimited offerings. Recently, CrashPlan for Home customers were notified that their service was being end-of-lifed. Then today we’ve heard that Carbonite is raising its backup prices.

Backblaze Hard Drive Stats for 2017

Starting in 2013, Backblaze has recorded and saved daily statistics from all the hard drives in our data centers. As of the end of 2017, we had 93,240 spinning hard drives and 88 million statistical records totaling 23 GB of data. Here is the summary of our findings for 2017 based on that data.