CloudBerry Backup Review
Founded in 2008, CloudBerry Backup is a little known online backup provider. Regrettably, CloudBerry does not receive the appropriate attention it deserves. On top of the plethora of features it boasts, it provides its user-base with a top notch service that is arguably unbeatable. While most service providers look at bottom line profits no matter the case, CloudBerry goes the extra mile by offering a deeply discounted price on its services to nonprofit and educational institutions. Moreover, CloudBerry is quite possibly one of the better storage service options for enterprises or individuals already using a home storage solution. With the latest technology and configurations being provided at competitive prices, CloudBerry is a service that should not be overlooked.
Features
As mentioned above, you will be hard pressed to find an online backup review of CloudBerry Backup and a range of their features. This is unfortunate and something we feel CloudBerry should update on their website because they certainly keep up with the major backup companies like JustCloud and MyPC Backup, and sometimes they downright outdo them. All of the features one would expect from a backup company are offered: file versioning, sharing, proper security encryption levels, drag and drop, etc. However, sometimes more unique features are required, not just for ‘show’ but because large conglomerates are in need of these. That being said, some of the main features offered are:
- Supports 20 various service providers such as Amazon S3, Openstack, Google Cloud, Windows Azure, Rackspace, HP Cloud, DreamObjects and many others
- Data compression
- Integration with email services, file managers and office applications
- De-duplication
- File system backup
- Network shares backup
- Bare Metal Restore (for Windows 2008 R2/2012)
- License per server
Furthermore, if you already backup your files with a home storage solution like Windows Home Server, CloudBerry makes for extremely easy and seamless integration with such home solutions. Additionally, something worth noting is that not all of these features are offered by their basic plan (named Desktop). Most of the features are accessible with the upgraded plans that are clearly designed for large corporations or individuals who are serious about backing up their data. Lastly, you must also choose a 3rd party company where your data is stored such as Amazon S3. While this may seem like a burden, it should be your preferred method of backup. If you lose your data from another service provider, you are not assured of data being restored. With CloudBerry, your data is mirrored by these 3rd parties.
Ease of Use
If you already operate some form of online backup, you should be able to find your way with the CloudBerry service. We must admit though that if you are a novice, CloudBerry can be a bit overwhelming as it uses its own system.
CloudBerry Backup Dashboard (Free Trial)
You can download a free trial (provided you supply your email address) or the paid service and have it up and running within 60 seconds. Note that as stated previously, you are relatively limited with the free service as is the case with all other backup companies. While the dashboard is custom built, it is pleasantly easy to navigate. You are presented with options to either setup a backup plan of your own or restore a previous backup. Users can also custom edit their backup plan by simply clicking on the “Backup Plans” tab. If you are too busy to build your own backup plan, a backup wizard is provided. In just a few clicks, the wizard will back up any of your files that are stored in 3rd party service providers such as Amazon S3.
Pricing
CloudBerry pricing is where it gets interesting. The most basic plan (Desktop) costs $29.99. Keep in mind that this price only includes CloudBerry storage. You must also specify which 3rd party will be storing your data such as Amazon S3. These 3rd parties charge per GB (roughly 10 cents/GB). That being said, here are other pricing models that CloudBerry offers:
- Server: $79.99
- MS SQL: $149.99
- MS Exchange: $229.99
- Enterprise: $299.99
Security
CloudBerry offers its client base impressive and distinctive security options. On top of providing standard encryption, CloudBerry offers its customers a unique encryption key before sending their data to the cloud – something that goes above and beyond most service providers.
Customer Support
Users can contact CloudBerry via their web contact form or by phone (though it’s not 24/7 or toll free), customers can open a support ‘ticket’ if they have not found answers in CloudBerry’s extremely active forum or blog. CloudBerry actually prides itself on being a smaller sized company and therefore is able to deliver high quality support in a timely fashion.
Summary
If you are looking for a cloud storage option for your business or as an additional storage method to your home storage solution, CloudBerry is the way to go. The range of features, ease of use, top notch security measures and customer support are all attractive components offered by this service. Users have come to expect the “extra mile” from CloudBerry which we recommend looking at when securing your vital data.
