Backblaze Multiple Computers: A Comprehensive Backup Solution

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Backblaze is a cloud backup service that allows you to protect multiple computers with a single account.

With a Backblaze account, you can easily add multiple computers to your backup plan, making it a great solution for households with multiple devices.

Backblaze supports unlimited computers per account, so you can add as many devices as you need.

This makes it an ideal solution for families with multiple children, or for businesses with multiple employees.

Getting Started

Getting Started with Backblaze is a breeze. Signing up requires just an email address and password.

You'll need to choose the Computer Backup service, not B2 Cloud Storage, to get started. Backblaze will then generate a custom installer bound to your account, which downloads and installs quickly.

Backblaze works with both macOS and Windows computers, and it offers apps for Android and iOS devices. Unfortunately, it's not available for Linux systems.

After installation, Backblaze will scan your hard drive for certain file types, such as documents, media files, and downloads. It will calculate the total backup size and prompt you to hit the Continue button to launch the backup process.

Backup and Storage

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Backblaze is a cloud backup service that provides comprehensive protection for your data, including files on external drives. It's easy to forget to manually back up external drives, but Backblaze automates this process, ensuring constant protection without extra effort.

If you're looking for a reliable backup solution, Backblaze is a great option. It's user-friendly, secure, and provides seamless backup solutions for various storage needs. With Backblaze, you can rest assured that your important files are always safeguarded.

Here are some benefits of using Backblaze to backup your external drives:

  • Comprehensive Protection: Backing up external drives ensures all your data, including files on those drives, is safe from loss due to damage or theft.
  • Complete Recovery: If your external drive fails, having a backup on Backblaze ensures you can retrieve your files without losing anything.
  • Convenience: Backblaze automates the backup process, ensuring constant protection without extra effort.
  • Peace of Mind: Knowing your external drive data is securely backed up gives you the confidence that your important files are always safeguarded.

Cost

Backblaze Online Backup costs $9 per month or $99 per year for unlimited cloud backup storage on one computer.

For comparison, Carbonite charges a similar rate of $95.99 per year for unlimited storage on one personal computer.

You can also pay $189 every two years for Backblaze, which is a cost-effective option if you're looking for a long-term solution.

However, SpiderOak One Backup charges $115 annually for just 400GB of space, making Backblaze's unlimited storage a more generous option.

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But, if you need to back up multiple computers, the cost of Backblaze increases to $350 per year for five PCs, which is a significant jump.

Other services, like IDrive, allow you to add multiple computers and mobile devices to one account, making them a more cost-effective option for those with multiple devices.

IDrive starts at $79.50 per year for 5TB of storage, which you can share among as many devices as you like.

It's worth noting that Backblaze does allow you to transfer your license to a new device, but this will delete your backed-up files and start you anew.

Alternatively, you can inherit the backup state on the new device, which will remember the files you backed up on the prior system to avoid duplication.

Backup File Speed

Backblaze took around 27 minutes to upload three 1GB file sets with the default settings. This was significantly improved to an average time of 13:34 with modified settings.

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The test device used was a Dell Inspiron tower running Windows 10 with a 256GB SSD and 32GB RAM. This level of computer resources can affect the experience of using online backup services.

A home Ethernet connection with a 16Mbps upload speed was used for testing. This speed can impact the backup time, as shown by the variation in results when the network speed was changed to 10Mbps.

IDrive performed slightly faster than Backblaze with an average time of 12:29. ElephantDrive also had a similar average time of 12:44.

Computer Backup Tools

Backblaze is a cloud backup service that provides seamless backup solutions for various storage needs. It's known for its user-friendly interface and robust security measures.

If you're looking to back up your external drives, Backblaze is a great option. It ensures all your data, including files on those drives, is safe from loss due to damage or theft.

One of the benefits of using Backblaze is that it automates the backup process, ensuring constant protection without extra effort. This means you don't have to worry about forgetting to manually back up your external drives.

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Having a backup strategy is vital, especially when it comes to external drives, which are susceptible to damage, theft, or malfunction. With Backblaze, you can have peace of mind knowing your important files are always safeguarded.

If you don't have the Backblaze app installed on your computer, you can use a tool like MultCloud to upload external hard drive data to Backblaze. MultCloud is a cloud file manager that can connect multiple cloud accounts and easily transfer data between them.

Here are some of the benefits of using MultCloud to back up your external drives:

  • Cloud Transfer: Easily transfer data between cloud accounts, such as Dropbox to Backblaze.
  • Team Transfer: Migrate Google Workspace to another account or other clouds in batch.
  • Cloud Sync: Automatically synchronize data between various accounts in real-time.
  • Cloud Backup: Back up important cloud data to other accounts, e.g. backup Google Drive to Backblaze.
  • Email Migration: Easily save or backup Outlook emails to USB or cloud accounts.
  • Remote Upload: Directly save URLs, torrent files or magnet links to the cloud drive.

It's worth noting that Backblaze can handle backing up external drives, including those connected to your MacBook Pro. You can change which hard drives it saves in the settings.

Security and Features

Backblaze uses 2048-bit public/private keys to secure your data, and you can even manage your own encryption keys for an extra layer of security. This means your backups are protected from unauthorized access, even from Backblaze staff.

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Backblaze's security measures also include multi-factor authentication, which can be enabled via SMS or an authentication app like Authy or Duo Mobile. This adds an extra step to the login process, making it much harder for hackers to gain access to your account.

You can also integrate your Backblaze account with the G-Suite single sign-on (SSO) service for an added layer of security. Backblaze's privacy policy is transparent and easy to understand, and they only collect the necessary information to set up and maintain your account.

Here are some key security features of Backblaze:

  • 2048-bit public/private keys for secure data encryption
  • Multi-factor authentication via SMS or authentication apps
  • Integration with G-Suite single sign-on (SSO) service
  • Transparent and easy-to-understand privacy policy

Mobile Apps

Backblaze's mobile app is available for both Android and iOS devices, and I was able to sign in to a test account without any issues.

The app itself is pretty basic, with a main screen that shows all the backup devices linked to your account.

You can access files you've downloaded from your backup from a hidden left-hand menu or visit the app settings, which is similarly sparse with only a few options.

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The Settings section allows you to remember your login info, enable biometric login, and choose to allow downloads over cellular connections.

Browsing for backed-up files can be a bit tedious, as you can only navigate your file tree one level at a time.

However, Backblaze does make it easier by letting you move back up the file tree without starting from the top.

The app's search bar works fine, but there's no way to filter files by type or size in the results.

As a result, you'll need to manually upload files to a B2 bucket if you want to back up specific types of data, like photos or videos.

Security and Privacy

Backblaze uses 2048-bit public/private keys to secure a symmetric AES 128-bit key that changes for every backup session on your computer.

This means your data is highly encrypted, making it difficult for unauthorized parties to access. Backblaze's data centers store backups over an SSL connection, ensuring an additional layer of security.

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To manage your own encryption keys, you can enable multi-factor authentication via SMS or an authentication app like Authy or Duo Mobile. This adds an extra layer of security to your account.

Backblaze also allows users to integrate logins with the G-Suite single sign-on (SSO) service, making it easier to manage multiple accounts. However, if you lose or forget your password, you won't be able to access your encrypted backup data.

Backblaze's headquarters are located in San Mateo, California, in the US, and their privacy policy is easy to understand. The company collects three categories of personal data: information you provide, automatically collected device data, and third-party service data.

This data is primarily used to set up and maintain accounts, but may also be shared with third-party service providers to improve their products.

Free File Sharing

Free file sharing is a breeze with the right tool. MultCloud is a comprehensive multi-cloud manager that allows you to share Backblaze files and folders seamlessly.

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It supports over 30 cloud drives, including Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and more, giving you peace of mind that your files are safe.

To share Backblaze files with MultCloud, you'll need to create a free account and log in. Then, simply add Backblaze to MultCloud by inputting your Bucket Name, KeyID, and ApplicationKey.

Once Backblaze is added, choose the file or folder you want to share and select Share from the top menu. From there, you can choose to share privately, publicly, or with MultCloud.

You can also share Backblaze files via social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Tumblr. Just copy the link and paste it to the people you'd like to share with.

MultCloud offers a range of features that make file sharing a cinch, including remote upload web files to Backblaze directly via a URL, and uploading files to Backblaze effectively.

Here are some of the key features of MultCloud for file sharing:

  • Remote upload web files to Backblaze directly via a URL.
  • Backup files from Dropbox to Backblaze directly without downloading.
  • Upload files to Backblaze effectively.
  • Use MultCloud to let Backblaze move files between buckets.
  • And many more.

Benefits of Backup

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Having a backup strategy is vital to prevent data loss, which can be catastrophic. Data loss can lead to irreplaceable documents, cherished memories, or critical work files vanishing in an instant.

Comprehensive protection is provided by backing up external drives, ensuring all your data is safe from loss due to damage or theft. This means you can rest assured that your files are secure.

Complete recovery is possible if your external drive fails, thanks to having a backup on Backblaze. You can retrieve your files without losing anything, which is a huge relief.

It's easy to forget to manually back up external drives, but Backblaze automates this process, ensuring constant protection without extra effort. This convenience is a game-changer for those who value their time.

Knowing your external drive data is securely backed up gives you the confidence that your important files are always safeguarded. This peace of mind is invaluable, especially when it comes to critical work files or cherished memories.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the disadvantages of Backblaze?

Backblaze has some limitations, including a one-computer-per-license restriction and a basic web interface. It also lacks advanced features like full disk image backup, network drive support, and file sync capabilities.

Dwayne Zboncak-Farrell

Senior Assigning Editor

Dwayne Zboncak-Farrell is a seasoned Assigning Editor with a keen eye for compelling content. With a strong background in research and writing, Dwayne has honed his skills in guiding projects from concept to completion. Their expertise spans a wide range of topics, including technology and software.

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