Can I backup network drives to Backblaze? Absolutely! Backblaze offers a straightforward solution to backup network drives, providing peace of mind with secure cloud storage.
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Let's quickly review Backblaze's definition before delving into its ability to backup network drives. Businesses and individuals can safely backup files to the cloud using Backblaze, an intuitive cloud backup solution. It is renowned for its simplicity, affordability, and top-notch customer service. Its user-friendly interface and limitless storage space for file backups make it the perfect option for anyone seeking simple data protection.
>> Know some Backblaze alternatives?
In essence, network drives are storage devices that can be accessed via a network, enabling file sharing and access by numerous computers from a single place. These drives are frequently utilized in homes or companies when several devices must access the same collection of files.
They are more efficient than using a local hard drive for every single computer. However, backing up data from these network drives can sometimes be tricky, especially when using traditional backup solutions.
Now, for the big question—Does Backblaze backup network drives?
Technically, Backblaze does not automatically back up network drives out of the box. This implies that, unlike with your local hard disk, you are unable to choose a network drive in the Backblaze interface and have it backed up. Nevertheless, there are workarounds that let you backup data from network drives, so with the correct configuration, Backblaze is a good choice.
Backblaze and Network Drive Compatibility
Backblaze primarily focuses on backing up data from local drives, like your computer's internal hard drive or external USB drives. Unfortunately, network-attached storage (NAS) or network drives don't fall under the same category. However, if you have a local computer that can access your network drives, you can back up files from those network drives indirectly.
The workaround involves mapping the network drive to your local machine, allowing it to appear as if it were a local drive. This process essentially tricks Backblaze into backing up the network drive by treating it as a local file path
It's crucial to balance the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing Backblaze for network drive backups.
Let’s walk through the setup process to get Backblaze backing up your network drive.
Before anything else, you’ll need to download and install Backblaze on your computer. Follow the instructions on the Backblaze website to install the software. Once installed, open the application and set up your account.
Next, map your network drive to your local machine.
Once the network drive is mapped, go to your Backblaze settings. Select the mapped network drive just like you would select any other folder or drive on your local machine.
After completing the setup, you can check the Backblaze interface to verify that your network drive’s files are being backed up. The status of your backups will be visible in the Backblaze dashboard, so you can rest assured that your data is being securely backed up to the cloud.
Even while Backblaze is a great option, if you're only wanting to backup network drives, there are alternative backup options that might be more appropriate for your requirements.
1. Carbonite: Carbonite is a wonderful option for users with NAS equipment because it provides immediate backup for network drives.
2. CrashPlan: Known for its business-level backup options, CrashPlan also offers network drive support.
3. Acronis: Supporting both local and network storage, Acronis is an excellent backup solution.
In conclusion, while Backblaze doesn’t natively support network drive backups, it’s still possible to back up your network drive by mapping it to your local machine. Once set up, Backblaze will treat the mapped drive like any other, offering unlimited storage and automatic backups. However, for users with dedicated NAS systems, you may need to explore alternative solutions like Carbonite or CrashPlan.
If you want to back up NAS to Backblaze directly without the mapping step, you can try the professional cloud backup tool --- MultCloud. This tool can help you connect NAS and Backblze, and even other popular cloud storage services, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud Drive, etc.
You need to use the "Cloud Backup" function provided by MultCloud, which can be very convenient for you.
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