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Backblaze - any thoughts?

Crotonmark

Crotonmark

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 22, 2011
195
17
Westchester County, NY
I am a dedicated Time Machine user
However, I want to add a cloud based backup service
Any reviews of backblaze? I have > 1TB to backup
Any other services you like?
thanks
Mark
 
I'm biased as I'm a HUGE backblaze fan. I use it with Arq and B2 as well as their unlimited backup plan on 3 of my computers.

I've got about 380GB on B2 and about 90+GB on BackBlaze's Unlimited Backup (all 3 computers combined). Love it. I've actually used it to restore 12GB successfully via the Unlimited Backup and B2.

What I love about Backblaze is the incredible speed at which I can upload data (100mbps+ up and down). Love the company too. Everything is under one account (my wife's computer and my two computers along with B2).
 
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I've had great service from them for 5 years, I'm using (abusing) the the unlimited original service.
 
Erlang said:
I've had great service from them for 5 years, I'm using (abusing) the the unlimited original service.
Click to expand...
The same for me.
The clever trick Backblaze uses to limit your unlimited storage is, that every drive you've backed up into their cloud, must be visible at least once within a 30-day window.
If your drive does not show up within that period of time, its backup will be deleted from cloud.
Theoretically, there may come a day, when you physically are unable to rotate all your external drives within 30 days.
 
I use TM and backblaze ... backblaze saved me once when 60,000 photos disappeared. I think you can get a 30 day trial ... and I think it will estimate the time it will take to upload the contents of your drive. There is an option to throttle the uploads .... I clicked it to 'off' and things moved along at a pretty good clip.
 
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The big issue, for me, is that Backblaze Unlimited Backup does not backup extended attributes. So when you come to restore files they will have lost their Finder tags along with some other, perhaps less critical, attributes. But do your own test.

Better to use Arq and your choice of cloud storage (which can be Backblaze's B2 storage). Choice based on cost and performance from your part of the world. B2 storage is slow for me.
 
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gilby101 said:
The big issue, for me, is that Backblaze Unlimited Backup does not backup extended attributes. So when you come to restore files they will have lost their Finder tags along with some other, perhaps less critical, attributes. But do your own test.

Better to use Arq and your choice of cloud storage (which can be Backblaze's B2 storage). Choice based on cost and performance from your part of the world. B2 storage is slow for me.
Click to expand...

What is ARQ?
 
Arq Cloud is designed to be easy to use (like Backblaze Unlimited). My understanding is that it uses Wasabi for storage - but the user doesn't see any of this. Arq Cloud is relatively new.

My preference is Arq Backup software and whatever cloud storage works well for you. In my case I do use Wasabi (quicker for me than Backblaze B2) and the 'free' cloud storage that comes with Office 365 subscription (which is quicker than both B2 and Wasabi).

But do your own tests. This should include a) test restore and compare with the original, b) upload and download speed, and c) research reputation of developer. My tests were to compare Backblaze Unlimited to Arq Backup with Office 365, B2, Google Drive and Wasabi storage). I did not do tests of Arq with more expensive storage like AWS (amazon) which I am sure is better in many ways.
 
gilby101 said:
Arq Cloud is designed to be easy to use (like Backblaze Unlimited). My understanding is that it uses Wasabi for storage - but the user doesn't see any of this. Arq Cloud is relatively new.

My preference is Arq Backup software and whatever cloud storage works well for you. In my case I do use Wasabi (quicker for me than Backblaze B2) and the 'free' cloud storage that comes with Office 365 subscription (which is quicker than both B2 and Wasabi).

But do your own tests. This should include a) test restore and compare with the original, b) upload and download speed, and c) research reputation of developer. My tests were to compare Backblaze Unlimited to Arq Backup with Office 365, B2, Google Drive and Wasabi storage). I did not do tests of Arq with more expensive storage like AWS (amazon) which I am sure is better in many ways.
Click to expand...

How do you get the cloud backup provider? Kind of sounds like a hassle
I’m leaning towards Backblaze or IDrive for simplicity.
Seems like Backblaze has better reviews
Like anything else I’m sure I’ll have terrible buyers remorse.
 
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priitv8 said:
The same for me.
The clever trick Backblaze uses to limit your unlimited storage is, that every drive you've backed up into their cloud, must be visible at least once within a 30-day window.
If your drive does not show up within that period of time, its backup will be deleted from cloud.
Theoretically, there may come a day, when you physically are unable to rotate all your external drives within 30 days.
Click to expand...

"Clever Trick".....or major limitation..... the latter in my opinion!

A couple of years ago I used BackBlaze and CrashPlan alongside each other for a years trial. In many ways I preferred BackBlaze but the "clever trick" was the factor which in the end decided me to go the CrashPlan route. I have a lot of stuff on externals and wouldn't want to lose it all if I forgot to connect it every 30 days, or was ill, or on holiday....CrashPlan default settings do not have this limitation.

Since my trial two years ago, CrashPlan have updated their software and CrashPlan 6 is a much better experience and faster. I often see it said that since it changed to being CrashPlan for Small Business it was too expensive for home use. I pay £2.36 a month which I feel is good value for backing up 4.3 TB on my iMac.
 
ah well
I signed up for backblaze last night
In 12 hours I uploaded 400GB so I am pretty happy
It is interesting that I have only 1% of my file count to upload and that represents 67% of the total for backup in GB
 
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I want to add that my initial experience with backblaze is that it is super fast
I gave it 4 threads and turned the throttle up to fastest
In 14 hours I have uploaded 500GB
The estimate is still 14 days but we shall see
I am using GB Fios for my internet provider
I see no impact on the Mac during this process
Pretty impressed so far
 
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I have to add to this - it is backing up my iCloud drive documents?
I didn't know that iCloud is a folder in the username Library account?
This is VERY cool to me
I am really digging backblaze (24 hours in)
 
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Ok - weird update
My initial upload is done
I have added some files - one to iCloud and one to my desktop
I then clicked on backup now and I can see some files were backed up
HOWEVER, the files I added were not backed up
What am I doing wrong?
 
Crotonmark said:
Ok - weird update
My initial upload is done
I have added some files - one to iCloud and one to my desktop
I then clicked on backup now and I can see some files were backed up
HOWEVER, the files I added were not backed up
What am I doing wrong?
Click to expand...
Nothing. It can take several hours before they are backed up. It happens not instantly.
Slowly, but steadily.
 
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Yeah its a slow but steady upload. It can take a few mins for files to show up. Also, if you move data from one folder to another, it won’t show in the new folder (but will be in the old folder) - next cycle or two it’ll change them.

I’ve been using Backblaze for years with Arq and finally went with their Unlimited plan because I love the company so much. Yes, they’re really fast - a FIOS user here too. :)
[doublepost=1557695549][/doublepost]
Crotonmark said:
I have to add to this - it is backing up my iCloud drive documents?
I didn't know that iCloud is a folder in the username Library account?
This is VERY cool to me
I am really digging backblaze (24 hours in)
Click to expand...

Yes. Yep. Including photos.
 
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I've been using Backblaze for a couple of years and really like it. I have an iMac with an external hard drive with all my photos on it and Backblaze backing it up. I've shared out that drive so I can connect my MacBook Pro to it and copy over photos from photo shoots.
 
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BigMcGuire said:
Yeah its a slow but steady upload. It can take a few mins for files to show up. Also, if you move data from one folder to another, it won’t show in the new folder (but will be in the old folder) - next cycle or two it’ll change them.

I’ve been using Backblaze for years with Arq and finally went with their Unlimited plan because I love the company so much. Yes, they’re really fast - a FIOS user here too. :)
[doublepost=1557695549][/doublepost]

Yes. Yep. Including photos.
Click to expand...
I mean I uploaded 1.3 TB in to days by cranking up the throttle all the way and using 4 threads.
Their initial estimate was over 30 days.
Just amazing
 
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