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For Internet backup solutions like Crashplan, be aware that this solution only works as well as the speed and stability of your Internet connection. If the machine using Crashplan is always at MIT, then the performance should be pretty fast and stable. To properly manage expectations, user should be aware that backup over Internet is not as fast as external backup to local hard drive. Having said that, Crashplan does not backup applications or the OS of your computer. Just the files in Documents, Desktop, Videos, Music, and Photos.
But because most of our users do take their machines home with them, variability in the speed and stability of home internet access can delay a complete backup of all recently modified files with Crashplan. We have observed delays in the report of completion in Crashplan backups from between 2 and 4 days for most active Crashplan users.
Dropbox
We are recommending all users use Dropbox to store your mission critical work files and (if you have a large enough hard drive storage) tell Dropbox to save a copy locally on your computer as well. This way your data will be protected at all times, regardless of which additional backup solution you are using. Additionally, using Dropbox will make it significantly easier for both PC and Mac users to transition from their old machines to new ones.