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Network attached storage (NAS) devices are becoming more popular with small and medium businesses. If you have decided to backup your network attached storage, it will quickly become apparent that there are many choices, each with its pros and cons. This fact makes choosing a cloud backup solution for NAS difficult. Here is how to choose the best provider for your needs and a list of the top best providers of NAS backup in the sector.
Backup NAS Features to Look For
Here are some of the features you should look for when purchasing an online backup solution for your network attached storage:
- Security: When you send data to the cloud, your primary concern is, first and foremost, data security. The NAS backup solutions should use Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128-bit encryption as a minimum. It is even better if the platform offers private encryption keys. You should also consider whether the solution uses multi-step login verification to prevent unauthorized logins.
- Storage space: Every business has unique needs, but ideally, the base plan should offer a storage space that’s adequate for your basic needs.
- Auto backup options: Your provider should provide NAS online backup services that are automatic (continuous or incremental). You should be able to set a backup schedule on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. In addition, it must offer fast and simple file retrieval so you can restore your files quickly and easily in the event of a disaster.
- Privacy and Universal Compliance: NAS backup solutions must value NAS user privacy. However, it isn’t easy to find an online backup service that doesn’t collect and store personal data in some form. Look for providers that don’t voluntarily share your personal information with third parties without your express consent except for legal reasons. NAS online backup providers must also comply with several federal and international regulations. These include HIPAA, SOX, California Consumer Privacy Act, COPPA, FERPA, GLBA, the Gramm–Leach–Biley Act (GLBA), European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and many others. This ensures your business is compliant with privacy regulations in the US and the rest of the world.
- Versioning: NAS online backup providers should provide users with versioning as part of their base plan. This allows you to recover files from previous revisions easily. For example, if accidentally delete a file by mistake. You can revert to the file’s earlier version and get it back as if nothing ever happened.
- Mobile app: NAS providers should provide NAS users with a mobile NAS app to enable easy, on-the-go file access, retrieval, and sharing.
Also read: Archiving Software: Four Key Data Archiving Features
Best NAS Backup Vendor and Solutions
We have researched all of the major NAS cloud backup solutions based on security, features, performance, customer support, and more. Below is a comparison chart of five of the best NAS online backup services for NAS.
Comparing the Top NAS Backup Solutions
| Product | Private Key Encryption | Unlimited Storage | Auto-Backup | Universal Compliance | Versioning | Mobile App |
IDrive  | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Acronis True Image | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Backblaze | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Carbonite Safe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
BigMIND by Zoolz | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
IDrive
The most features in one service.
IDrive is ideal for small and medium businesses as well as personal users. It uses Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit encryption and optional private encryption keys to protect customer data. This is the same level of security used by the Department of Defense. In addition, IDrive uses 2-step verification to prevent unauthorized logins.
IDrive collects limited personal information such as your name, email, credit card information, and address. They also store details of your contact list if you log into the service using a mobile device. However, personal data is not disclosed without your consent unless there are legal reasons to do so.
You can backup your files in real time or set up a 10, 30, or 60-minute automatic backup schedule. There is a slight throttling of internet speed during backups. It also comes with a feature to control your bandwidth throttle level to increase or decrease your backup speed.
IDrive offers four types of accounts; Personal, Team, Business, and a free 5GB basic account. It is also compatible with most major operating systems.
Several support options include phone calls, 24/7 chat support, email support, an online support form, video tutorials, FAQs, and a dedicated knowledge base.
| Amount of Storage on Basic Plan | 5GB |
| Security | AES 256-bit encryption and optional private encryption keys |
| Free Trial? | Yes |
| Mobile App? | Yes |
| Starting Price | $52.12 for the first year |
Acronis True Image
Versatile with social media support.
Acronis offers a one-stop package for cloud NAS backup and robust cybersecurity. Its NAS with cloud backup offering covers external drives, mobile devices, and social media data storage. At the same time, the cybersecurity solution provides real-time malware protection for apps. It also comes with enterprise-grade AES-256 encryption with an optional private encryption key.
It is available on the web and mobile, and the software is compatible with macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS apps. However, though the platform has impressive features, the prices are considerably high for individual users who operate multiple devices because the signup fee is per computer.
For customer support, instant response points (e.g., chatbot) are unavailable. Instead, their main support channels are blogs, a user community, and a ticket system.
| Amount of Storage on Basic Plan | Unlimited |
| Security | AES 256-bit encryption and optional private encryption keys. |
| Free Trial? | Yes |
| Mobile App? | Yes |
| Starting Price | $59/per PC/ per year |
Backblaze
Unlimited online NAS Backup.
Backblaze leads the pack in offering unlimited online backup for individuals and small businesses and doesn’t restrict file sizes. However, the unlimited backup feature sometimes throttles your internet speed.
In terms of security, Backblaze uses AES 128-bit encryption. In addition, the company also uses 2-factor authentication. It is compatible with iOS, Android mobile apps, Windows 7, and macOSX. Files are accessible via web and mobile applications, and users can restore their files even when offline.
The starting fee is $60 per year, but you will incur more fees if you want to access deleted files after the 30-day grace period. In addition, Backblaze provides email support through Zendesk and live chatbot customer service.
| Amount of Storage on Basic Plan | Unlimited |
| Security | (AES) 128-bit encryption |
| Free Trial? | Yes |
| Mobile App? | Yes |
| Starting Price | $60 per year |
Carbonite Safe
User-friendly interface.
Carbonite is best suited for personal users and small business users. It offers automatic cloud backups, a user-friendly interface, and hassle-free data restoration. Even though they do not offer free plans, it provides unlimited NAS backup to the cloud and a free 15-day trial. In addition, Carbonite comes equipped with continuous or scheduled backups though this is only available for the Windows Operating System.
A few drawbacks include not having a mobile app, backup restriction of certain file types, and a file size limit for automatic backups. Carbonite also uses the less secure 128-bit AES encryption with optional private encryption keys for Windows.
Though Carbonite doesn’t have a mobile app, it has an alternative feature known as Anytime Anywhere. This feature lets you make small restores from any device connected to the internet. This means you can access your data from any device by logging into your Carbonite account.
Its prices are reasonable for the scope of services on offer.
| Amount of Storage on Basic Plan | Unlimited |
| Security | AES 128-bit encryption and optional private encryption keys |
| Free Trial? | Yes, a 15-day trial |
| Mobile App? | No |
| Starting Price | $83.99 per year |
BigMIND by Zoolz
Affordable backup with artificial intelligence.
Zoolz currently operates under their flagship BigMIND platform. It caters to individuals, businesses, small and large companies, and even offers a permanent free plan. Its well-thought-out design sets preferences and schedules backups easily.
Other features include social media backup, file sharing, hybrid backup and mobile backup, optional bandwidth throttling, and no limit on file types. It also comes with smart file rename detection to prevent double uploads, AI-powered bulk upload of files for faster backups, and the ability to backup open files.
Zoolz uses AES 256-bit encryption but does not provide private encryption keys. However, it offers an extra layer of security with its two-factor authentication.
The Zoolz platform allows for multi-device syncing and is compatible with macOS 10.9 and later; Windows 7, 8, 10 (32-bit and 64-bit); Apple iOS 10.0 and later; Google Android OS 2.2 and later.
The pricing is fair for the scope of services; the starting price provides backup access to unlimited users, servers, and external hard drives. In addition, the BigMIND platform simplifies the data restore process by making it possible to access backed-up data through your mobile phone, PC, or tablet.
Zoolz provides omnichannel customer support. Channels include an international telephone number, a help center with a comprehensive FAQ list, a sales and technical questions portal, and an online feedback form.
| Amount of Storage on Basic Plan | 1GB |
| Security | AES 256-bit encryption |
| Free Trial? | Yes |
| Mobile App? | Yes |
| Starting Price | $99.99 per year |
How to Choose an Online Backup Provider
In addition to the feature we mentioned above, there are also several additional considerations when choosing an online backup for NAS. These include:
- Ease of use: You shouldn’t have to need advanced technical skills to use the platform. It must have an intuitive design and have a gentle learning curve to ensure you can set up quickly and use the platform smoothly.
- Support: Your NAS backup provider must have excellent support. You should be able to get assistance via fast omnichannel support.
- Speed: The provider should maintain a high upload speed during backups and you should be able to see the NAS storage performance statistics.
- Value for money: Finally, the price should be reasonable for the features you’re getting. For good measure, ensure there is a free trial to let you test the online backup before committing.
When choosing an online backup service, consider which features are most important to you. For example, do you need a large amount of storage space, or are you more concerned with compliance with data privacy laws? Or maybe you are more interested in automated, fast backup. Whatever your situation, a NAS online backup service is a handy and convenient way of backing up your NAS devices and securing your data.
