PC410.com: Computers Repaired in Carroll County, Maryland 21157

In Westminster, MD, PC Fixes & Virus Cleanups
Science Translations

Cloud Backup Service is Up

by Jerry Stern
Webmaster, PC410.com, Startupware.com

I’ve started providing cloud backup services for my local customers. I chose a software and storage provider that can handle more than the typical television-commercial bundle. Just backup is easy; backup that’s practical to restore from is not. A backup that takes days to restore isn’t useful, and that’s what’s being sold on TV.

Cloud backup from Science Translations includes:

  • Automatic backup of data to an internet server, or cloud, in real-time.
  • Automatic backup by the same software to an attached external drive, which can be a USB external hard drive, a NAS (network-attached storage) drive, or a network drive
  • Automatic de-duplication of stored data
  • Configurable choices for keeping multiple copies of files. For example, ‘keep up to 3 versions of each file, up to 3 months old
  • Encryption is done before sending data to the internet, using AES-256 encryption. The service provider does not have a key.
  • In case the worst happens, and your office is unusable, a new PC can be prepared with your restored files in-place while you’re rebuilding your office.

Workstation backup pricing varies with volume of backup, and number of PCs. Server backup pricing varies with installed services and databases, in order to collect data from open files and databases in-use. Call for pricing, 410-871-2877.

Floods Causing Hard Drive Shortages

by Jerry Stern
Webmaster, PC410.com, Startupware.com

First, the good news. Here in Westminster MD, I have hard drives in-stock for PC repairs and new systems. Not in central Maryland? Well, drives are scarce.

Floods in Thailand have caused extensive damage to factories that create at least a quarter of the world’s production of hard drives, and additionally create parts for hard drives made elsewhere. Hard drive prices have fluctuated, and inventories have disappeared from stores and online sellers. A basic hard drive that sold for $50 a month ago can be bought online as of today for $140, but only if you’re not picky about what brand, model, or speed of drive you buy. In my wholesale price lists, a distributor that usually stocks several hundred models of drives is showing 145 models as current, but only 5 as in-stock today, 13 drives ready-to-ship TOTAL, and every one of them is a specialty drive for a server, and priced to match. Even the old ‘IDE’ or ‘ATAPI’ hard drives are scarce, and they’re mostly used for system repairs now. There are ZERO in-stocks on the list today.

It’s going to be an interesting holiday season. Notebook computers for upcoming holiday sales are still available, but the selection may be uneven; most pre-built systems for the season are already built. Don’t expect Black Friday bargains on storage this year.

Projections I’m hearing from Western Digital put ‘significant disruptions’ as far out as mid-2012. They’re the worst-hit by floods, but all drive builders have problems in either flood areas or parts availability.

Back here in Westminster, I have enough drives to take care of my local customers; I’m still building custom PCs. Just don’t ask me to sell a bare drive without a computer attached.