SafeByte Secure Backup FAQ
What is SafeByte Secure Backup? SafeByte Secure Backup is online backup for your valuable computer files. It backs up your pictures, documents, and personal stuff. SafeByte secure Backup includes the Remote Security Suite.
How do my files get backed up? Once you have installed the SafeByte Secure Backup software, SafeByte Secure Backup will automatically back up your files every day. Just leave your computer on and connected to the Internet and SafeByte Backup will take care of the rest.
What types of computers will SafeByte Secure Backup run on? SafeByte Backup runs on Windows and Mac computers. It runs on Windows 2000, XP, and Vista, (including 64-bit systems, but not Servers) and all Mac OS X versions.
How much data can I store with SafeByte Secure Backup? The basic plan includes 5 gigabytes, which is about enough space to back up around 20,000 pictures or 1500 music files. If you want more space, you can easily buy more. We recommend backing up only irreplaceable files, and not music and video. SafeByte Secure Backup automatically selects the best files to back up. Ten gigabytes is more than enough space for most people. You can purchase more storage space when needed.
Which files does SafeByte Secure Backup back up? By default SafeByte Secure Backup will back up your documents, pictures, spreadsheets, accounting files, and other "work" files on your computer. You can add and change file selections after SafeByte Secure Backup is installed. SafeByte Secure Backup will back up network drives and USB drives.
What files will not be backed up? SafeByte Secure Backup was designed to ignore files that are not usually backed up, like Windows and Mac system and application files, and certain temporary files. It will not run on a Server operating system. SafeByte Secure Backup should not be used to back up applications that normally run on Servers, such as MS Exchange, SQL Server, and Domino.
How do I restore my files? Restoring files is easy with SafeByte Backup. You can restore right from your desktop using the SafeByte Secure Backup software, or from any other computer using just a web browser. You can even back up from a PC and restore to a Mac, or Mac to PC. You can select from any of multiple versions of each of your files, or simply select the latest version of everything.
How secure is SafeByte Secure Backup? Can you read my data? Before your files are sent over the Internet, they are encrypted with military grade 448-bit technology. If you use a private encryption phrase known only to you, nobody (not even SafeByte) can read your data. You can optionally select an automated encryption method that allows SafeByte Secure Backup to help recover your data in the event you forget your private encryption phrase. Your files are then sent to the SafeByte Backup Data Center using an additional layer of encryption called Secure Socket Layer (SSL) with the highest level of encryption and validation technology available (Extended Validation 128-256 bits). Your files are stored on the SafeByte Secure Backup Servers in their encrypted form.
Can SafeByte Secure Backup be used to hack into my computer or access my files? No. The SafeByte Secure Backup application running on your computer does not accept inbound connections. It always initiates all connections, and only connects to the SafeByte Backup Servers through a connection encrypted and protected through Extended Validation (EV) SSL. This is the most secure connection available. It guarantees that your connection to SafeByte Backup cannot be used or accessed by anyone else.
What about open and locked files? SafeByte Secure Backup will back up open and locked files on Windows except for certain operating system files that never need to be restored. The SafeByte Secure Backup Open Files Agent does not require Windows VSS, therefore it works with both Windows NTFS and FAT32.
How long will backups take? The first backup takes the most time - sometimes days or even weeks, depending on your file sizes and bandwidth. But after that, backups take an average of about 5 minutes for a personal computer used for "normal" purposes. (from a study of 5,000 users conducted on September 15, 2008) Of course, if you add a lot of files, SafeByte Secure Backup will have to back those up, too. Backup speed is governed by the size of your files, the upload speed of your Internet connection, and the amount of traffic sharing your branch of the Internet.
How long will SafeByte Secure Backup keep my files? You are in complete control over how many versions of your files SafeByte Secure Backup stores, and for how long. You can set SafeByteSecureBackup to store an unlimited number of versions for periods of time ranging from seven days to ten years after they have been deleted from your computer.
Does SafeByte Secure Backup keep multiple versions of my files? Yes. SafeByte Secure Backup keeps any number of versions of your files, allowing you to restore from any of your previous versions by date and time. The default is 3 versions.
Will SafeByte Secure Backup interfere with my other programs? No. SafeByte Secure Backup is designed to play nicely with other programs. It automatically throttles its resouce usage (CPU, Bandwidth, etc.) when other applications need those resources, too.
Is the SafeByte Secure Backup User's Guide online? Yes. The user's guide is at this link.
What is the Remote Security Suite? The Remote Security Suite can protect your data even if your computer is lost or stolen. It can also help recover your computer, and help the police identify the thief. The Remote Security Suite is included in SafeByte Backup. Click here for more information.