Apple’s iCloud gives Mac and iPhone users an easy way to sync data between devices. Now more than ever, Apple is blurring the line between sync and backup, but don’t mistake iCloud for a true backup solution like Backblaze. Let me say at the outset that this isn’t a warning against using iCloud. I use… Continue reading Backup 101: iCloud Sync and Backblaze Backup
A History of Hard Drives
2016 marks the 60th anniversary of the venerable hard disk drive (HDD). While new computers increasingly turn to solid state disks (SSDs) for main storage, HDDs remain the champions of low cost, high capacity data storage. That’s a big reason why we still use them in our Storage Pods. Let’s take a spin in the… Continue reading A History of Hard Drives
Hard Drive Stats for Q3 2016: Less Is More
In our last report for Q2 2016, we counted 68,813 spinning hard drives in operation. For Q3 2016 we have 67,642 drives, or 1,171 fewer hard drives. Stop, put down that Twitter account, Backblaze is not shrinking. In fact, we’re growing very nicely and are approaching 300 petabytes of data under our management. We have fewer drives because over the last quarter we swapped out more than 3,500 2 terabyte (TB) HGST and WDC hard drives for 2,400 8 TB Seagate drives. So we have fewer drives, but more data. Lots more data! We’ll get into the specifics a little later on, but first, let’s take a look at our Q3 2016 drive stats.
Five Mistakes Everyone Makes With Cloud Backup
Cloud-based storage and file sync services are ubiquitous: Everywhere we turn, new services pop up (and often shut down), promising free or low cost storage of everything and anything on our computers and mobile devices. When you depend on the cloud, it’s very easy to get lulled into a false sense of security. Don’t. Here… Continue reading Five Mistakes Everyone Makes With Cloud Backup
True Tales of Data Loss Horror
Just in time for Halloween: spooky stories to give you a fright! Nothing scares us at Backblaze like stories about people losing data. Here are true tales of data loss horror straight from our customers’ own mouths! “My wife had tons of pictures of our daughter when she was in the hospital and were kept… Continue reading True Tales of Data Loss Horror
Tech to Track: Cloud Computing and Public Utilities, New Gear From MS and Apple, and More
Here’s another installment of Tech to Track, a list of cool technology links we’re interested in and thought we’d share with you. What Cloud Computing and Public Utilities Have in Common A Florida resident, David Gewirtz, regularly weathers battering storms like the recent Hurricane Matthew. He makes an interesting comparison between public utilities and cloud… Continue reading Tech to Track: Cloud Computing and Public Utilities, New Gear From MS and Apple, and More
Tech to Track
Welcome to a new Backblaze blog feature we’re calling, “Tech to Track.” Each installment gives us a chance to round up links we think are particularly cool or interesting and present them here with a bit of commentary. Unlimited Cloud Storage for Your Photos… If You Have the Right Phone Google’s new Pixel smartphone has… Continue reading Tech to Track
What SMART Stats Tell Us About Hard Drives
What if a hard drive could tell you it was going to fail before it actually did? Is that possible? Each day Backblaze records the SMART stats that are reported by the 67,814 hard drives we have spinning in our Sacramento data center. SMART stands for Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology and is a monitoring… Continue reading What SMART Stats Tell Us About Hard Drives
How Heavy Is the Backblaze Cloud?
The question “How heavy is the Backblaze cloud?” came up in a marketing meeting one Monday afternoon. “One million pounds,” someone guessed. “A hundred thousand pounds,” someone else said trying to sound sure. The truth is we had no idea. “Well, how much does a real cloud weigh?” someone else asked, and at that point,… Continue reading How Heavy Is the Backblaze Cloud?
macOS 10.12 Sierra Upgrade Guide
On Tuesday, Apple released macOS Sierra 10.12. It’s a free upgrade, and many Mac users around the world will rush to install it. If you plan to join the crowd, please make sure to back up your computer before you do. Your data should be safe no matter what happens. Backblaze is here to help… Continue reading macOS 10.12 Sierra Upgrade Guide
Tony Joins the Support Squad
As we continue to grow, so does our Support team! The latest addition is Tony, who’ll be joining us as a junior tech support technician. He’ll be helping folks make sure their backups are up and running as expected! Let’s get to know Tony a bit better, shall we? What is your Backblaze title? Junior… Continue reading Tony Joins the Support Squad
Bulletproof Backups for Any Budget
Peace of mind comes from knowing your data is backed up. But how do you know your backup is safe? Step one is to have a strategy. Step two is to have storage that can stand up to abuse. Step three is to make sure the data is safely off-site. Combining a battle-ready hard drive… Continue reading Bulletproof Backups for Any Budget
Hey, Mac and iOS Users: Make Sure to Back Up Before You Upgrade!
Editor’s note: This article was originally published over the summer as a guideline for those dabbling with Apple’s public betas. It’s been updated to reflect the upcoming release of the new Mac and iOS versions. New versions of Apple’s operating systems are coming to your iPhone and Mac later this month! iOS 10 will be… Continue reading Hey, Mac and iOS Users: Make Sure to Back Up Before You Upgrade!
Can You Predict When Backblaze Will Hit 20 Billion Files Restored?
Calling all psychics, mystics, soothsayers, and fortune tellers (or just those who are really good at analyzing trends); can you predict when Backblaze will restore its 20 billionth file? Last March, we announced that 10 billion files had been restored. We’re quickly approaching the next big milestone: 20 billion! It took us seven years to… Continue reading Can You Predict When Backblaze Will Hit 20 Billion Files Restored?
Intern Brian Evolves Into Full-time Brian
After a stint with us last summer as an intern, Brian has joined us now as a full-time engineer. Brian is the first intern we’ve hired for a full time position and we’re glad he’s decided to jump on board and join in on the fun. He’ll be working with a lot of the engineers… Continue reading Intern Brian Evolves Into Full-time Brian
iOS 9.3.5 Fixes Malware Exploit: Install It, but Back Up First!
This week, Apple posted an important update to iOS 9. Version 9.3.5 is ready for download from Apple’s servers. Experts advise you to upgrade right away, since it closes a malware security vulnerability. It’s good advice, even if the risk is small to most of us. Make sure to back up your iPhone or iPad… Continue reading iOS 9.3.5 Fixes Malware Exploit: Install It, but Back Up First!
Learn More About Backblaze Release 4.2.0, Including What’s New
Introducing release 4.2 for Backblaze Personal Backup and Backblaze Business Backup clients. This is a relatively minor release, but there are a few visual changes to the client, so we wanted to give it a new release number. What’s New Inherit Backup State: We changed the terminology for this feature in our previous release, but… Continue reading Learn More About Backblaze Release 4.2.0, Including What’s New
Backing Up for Non-profits
A lot of us dedicate our time and effort to causes we believe in. If you’re responsible for the data used by your non-profit, here are some guidelines to think about. Develop a backup plan of your own by answering these questions. Backing up copies of crucial organizational information like financial and bank statements, donation… Continue reading Backing Up for Non-profits