photo credit: +Angst

This is the third installment in a series of posts about data security and storage for freelancers.

If you missed the earlier posts, here are the links:

1. Technical Stuff Nobody Teaches You (But You Need to Know)

2. Data Storage Options for Freelancers

In today’s post, I will share my thoughts on specific online data storage services which I’ve tried in my search for the perfect data storage solution for me.

When I was looking for online data storage (which, as I mentioned previously, I was using along with physical data storage in an external disk and CD-Rs), I had the following criteria:

• Should be inexpensive
• Should work with Mac OS X
• Should be reliable
• Should provide both data backup and archiving
• Should be easy for my DH so he can access the files as well

Since I already have an existing Amazon S3 account, that was the first thing I thought of. It was easy enough for me to FTP files for archiving in Amazon S3. It’s inexpensive and reliable and works with my computer. And I had read of plugins or services which allow you to do automatic backups to Amazon S3.

But DH doesn’t know how to FTP and I didn’t want to have to teach him, so I decided against Amazon S3. Besides, I myself am still groping my way with it.

So I looked at my other options, and found this nifty comparison of online storage services.

Here are the online storage services I checked out, why I didn’t use them, and which one I did choose (hint: it’s not in the list above):

1. ElephantDrive

This looked like an inexpensive and easy-to-use service, so I signed up for the free trial account immediately. A word of warning, though: They won’t charge you right away, but they will get your credit card information. I found this annoying, but I was desperate (my laptop was giving me “Startup Disk Full” messages and being very slow already), so I went along with it.

Anyway, this means you have to cancel your trial or else your credit card will be charged when the trial period is over. It’s an inconvenience, especially if you tend to forget stuff (like I do).

Unfortunately, the software for accessing “the cloud” through my desktop did not work. I contacted support, and their response was for me to go on an online chat.

I was able to try the service through the Internet. I found the file upload time to be very slow… which is why I did not pursue ElephantDrive anymore.

2. Mozy

At $4.95 a month for unlimited storage, I just had to try Mozy. I’ve also heard a lot of good reviews about Mozy from Internet entrepreneurs whom I trust, such as Lynn Terry and Nicole Dean.

Unfortunately, Mozy only provides data backup and not archiving. So, it wasn’t a good fit for all my needs. I also found the desktop interface to be clunky (or should I say pretty ugly?), and file uploading was slow as well.

If these aren’t big issues for you, and all you’re looking for is a secure backup of your data, then Mozy is probably the most economical option out there.

3. Dropbox

A client of mine introduced me to Dropbox. It allows us to share files and collaborate on them, while always having the files synchronized on both our computers.

I upgraded my free account to one which would allow me up to 50 GB of data – but soon I learned that this service wasn’t what I needed, either.

You see, while Dropbox provides data backup and keeps a copy of the recent versions of your files (unlimited number of revisions, at additional cost), the files still reside in your hard drive. This means I can’t use it for data archiving, which I badly needed.

On the other hand, I continue to use Dropbox with clients and members of my virtual team. I also use Dropbox for my working files – those documents I access and revise all the time, such as stuff I write for clients, as well as my infoproducts.

Dropbox is particularly wonderful for client work, because I don’t need to worry about keeping multiple versions of a document. Dropbox lets me revert to previous versions, should I need them. In addition, I know I’ll be able to access my work files from any computer with an Internet access. Not to mention any computer where I install Dropbox and associate with my Dropbox account.

You have to agree, that’s pretty cool for a freelancer!

Oh, and although Dropbox does not have a money-back guarantee, they did refund me when I emailed them and said it wasn’t what I thought it was.

I definitely recommend Dropbox for data backups, file synchronization and file sharing. And I will definitely get a paid account (again) when I exceed the 2 GB (which is free).

4. MobileMe

Here’s a service which provides everything I was looking for – backup and archiving – and a whole lot of other features I never even knew I wanted, LOL! Plus, of course, it works perfectly with my Mac. And the interface is very pretty and user-friendly to boot.

BUT, gigabyte for gigabyte, MobileMe was the most expensive option, which finally brings me to…

5. Jungle Disk

It’s very obvious why Jungle Disk really is the solution for me: it provides both automatic online backup AND a network drive where you can archive files.

The data is stored in Amazon S3, which is a very economical. Jungle Disk only charges an additional $2 a month, which you pay on top of what Amazon S3 will charge for your data.

Although I would have wanted to pay a very small flat rate for unlimited storage (similar to what Mozy provides), in the end, I decided it was only fair that I pay for what I actually use.

My Jungle Disk network drive looks just like another drive in my Finder. I can easily add, delete, open or copy files from it. Which means DH and even my kids can use it. Sweet!

Surprisingly, uploading files is faster in Jungle Disk than the other services I’ve tried. It’s been really lovely to use.

The only downside is that Jungle Disk doesn’t have file sharing – yet. But no problem, I have Dropbox for that. Another option I use is YouSendIt, to send large files that I don’t want to put in my Dropbox.

Update: Jungle Disk has added a file syncing feature. I haven’t tried it myself, so I can’t say much about it yet. Read about it here.

So there you have it. I hope this series of posts on data security has helped you put your own data security plan in place.

Do tell me: which option have you chosen for your home and freelancing business? Share by posting a comment below. I always read them!

PS: If you’re struggling to find more clients for your freelance services, I’ve got an important announcement for you tomorrow. So check back soon!