Backblaze Fireball Simplifies Cloud Backup and Storage

Backblaze Fireball is a portable drive that makes it easy to back up your data to the cloud. It's a small, rugged device that can be taken on the go.

The Fireball is designed to be easy to use, with a simple plug-and-play interface that lets you get started right away. No complicated setup or configuration is required.

Backblaze Fireball supports multiple operating systems, including Windows and macOS, making it a versatile option for users with different devices.

Backblaze offers a range of cloud storage options, including its computer backup service that allows users to back up their computer data continuously and automatically with a monthly subscription.

This service provides a reliable way to safeguard your digital files, and I can attest to its effectiveness in keeping my own files safe.

Backblaze B2 Cloud Storage is another option, launched in September 2015 as an infrastructure as a service (IaaS) for software integration in businesses.

It allows customers to use existing tools and applications with B2 Cloud Storage without rewriting them, thanks to its Amazon S3-compatible API released in May 2020.

Cloud backup is a convenient way to automatically back up your computer data continuously with a monthly subscription service. This is exactly what Backblaze did with its first product, a computer backup service that allowed users to store their data safely online.

Having a cloud backup is essential for protecting your files from hardware failure, data loss, or even theft. Backblaze's computer backup service is a great example of this, offering users a reliable way to store their data securely.

With cloud backup, you can access your files from anywhere, at any time, as long as you have an internet connection. This means you can work on a project from home, then pick up where you left off on your laptop or tablet when you're out and about.

Backblaze's computer backup service is a great option for individuals and businesses alike, providing a simple and affordable way to safeguard your data.

File versioning is a feature that allows you to manage different versions of your files in the cloud. Backblaze B2 lets you modify the file versioning policy of each bucket you create.

You can choose from keeping all versions of a file, only keeping the last version, or setting custom rules. If you want to change the file versioning, you'll need to click the "lifecycle settings" link in the bucket.

The default is to keep all versions of a file, but you can set custom rules to hide or delete older versions. Creating custom lifecycle rules has three required fields: file path name, days till hide, and days till delete.

Leaving the file path name blank can lead to deleting all files in a bucket, so be sure to specify the files you want to apply the rule to. You can also set a rule to hide a file for a specified number of days, or automatically delete a file when the day limit is reached.

Storing data on Backblaze B2 costs $0.005 per GB per month, with the first 10GB free. This cost is calculated hourly, so you won't be charged for the full month until your storage exceeds 10GB.

The daily download cost is $0.01 per GB, and it remains free as long as you stay under 1GB per day. This is a great option for users who need to download small amounts of data frequently.

Backblaze B2's data mail service allows you to transfer large amounts of data or avoid slow connection speeds, but it comes with a cost. The pricing is tied to the upload or download size, with a $550 fee for up to 96TB of data using Fireball.

If you need to transfer a large amount of data, the data mail service is a viable option, but be aware of the costs involved. The cost is $189 for downloads up to 8TB on a USB device.

Here's a summary of the costs associated with Backblaze B2:

Backblaze Fireball takes cloud security seriously, and for good reason. No one wants their data stolen, after all.

It uses AES 256-bit encryption to protect data stored on its servers, which is a high level of security.

You can choose between two encryption options: SSE-B2 and SSE-C.

SSE-B2 is Backblaze-managed, which means your data isn't protected by private encryption.

SSE-C, on the other hand, is customer-managed, adding zero-knowledge encryption.

Backblaze-managed keys are the only option when creating a bucket through the web interface.

To configure customer-managed encryption keys, you'll need to use the command-line tool and follow the SSE-C procedure.

Backblaze also uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption during file transfers, protecting your data from man-in-the-middle attacks.

Backblaze B2 is a cost-effective option for storing and managing large amounts of data, and it's especially beneficial for developers who work with APIs.

Backblaze B2 doesn't charge for transactions that upload data into your account or for bandwidth used during uploads. This is a huge plus for anyone who needs to store and retrieve large files.

Class A transactions, which include uploads and deleting files, are completely free. This means you can upload as many files as you need without incurring any additional costs.

Once you exceed 2,500 transactions in a day, the costs for Class B and Class C transactions kick in. Class B transactions, which include downloading, creating buckets, and creating keys or copying files, cost $0.004 per 10,000 transactions.

Class C transactions, which also include downloading, creating buckets, and creating keys or copying files, cost $0.004 per 1,000 transactions. This is a relatively low cost, especially when compared to other cloud storage options.

Backblaze Fireball is a secure service that competes with some of the biggest IaaS services, but it also has its own unique strengths.

One of the key advantages of Backblaze Fireball is its low prices, which make it a great option for those on a budget. It's a cost-effective solution that won't break the bank.

Backblaze Fireball is designed to be secure, and it offers a reliable service for storing and managing data.

Backblaze B2 competes with some of the biggest IaaS services and offers a secure service for low prices. However, there's no shortage of competition for IaaS services.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a leading IaaS provider that offers a wide range of services, including computing, storage, and databases. AWS is a popular choice for businesses and individuals alike.

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is another major IaaS provider that offers a suite of services, including computing, storage, and machine learning. GCP is known for its scalability and flexibility.

Microsoft Azure is a robust IaaS provider that offers a wide range of services, including computing, storage, and databases. Azure is a popular choice for businesses that use Microsoft products.

IBM Cloud is a secure and reliable IaaS provider that offers a range of services, including computing, storage, and security. IBM Cloud is a good choice for businesses that require high levels of security and compliance.

AWS Snowball and GCS Transfer Appliance are two options for rapid ingest services, but they have some key differences. AWS Snowball has a 50 TB capacity and a $200 service fee for a 10-day rental, but the shipping fee is unknown. On the other hand, GCS Transfer Appliance has a 100 TB capacity and a $300 service fee for a 10-day rental, with a shipping fee of $500.

One thing to note is that AWS Snowball doesn't estimate shipping fees at the time of the order. This can make it difficult to plan and budget for the total cost of the service.

Here's a comparison of the costs of AWS Snowball, GCS Transfer Appliance, and Backblaze B2 in the first year:

As you can see, Backblaze B2 is the most cost-effective option, with a total cost of $10,820 in the first year, compared to $36,514 for AWS Snowball and $40,484 for GCS Transfer Appliance. This represents a significant savings, especially for large-scale data transfers.