Of all the extra features that any high quality online backup service company generally provides, one of the most important ones (and often least discussed) is file versioning. Simply put, file versioning takes the concept of online backup to a new level, allowing the user to in effect “go back in time” and retrieve previously saved versions of their files in the event that the currently saved version is corrupted or saved incorrectly in any way. After all, what good does it do for you to have your data constantly backed up online if the files that are being backed up are somehow damaged or inaccurate?
Many applications require quite a lot of saving, and that means, of course, many more file versions that the online backup service must keep on their servers. Being that data storage space doesn’t “grow on trees”, most online backup companies have to set limits for how many versions of a file that they will be storing for their customers. This not only applies to how many versions of a fie can be saved on the online backup company’s servers, but also how long they will hold said number of file versions before deleting them to make room for more.
A common time period for most online backup providers to retain file versions is around 30 days (although some offer up to 90+ days). After this point, these extra, unnecessary files will be deleted from their system. It is important to keep in mind that this limit only refers to the lifespan of *versioned* files, not original ones, which, of course, will NEVER be deleted from the online backup service provider’s hard drives. Also, if you want to retain a version of a file for longer than this time limit, all you have to do is download this version of the file and then rename it something else, easily rendering the file permanently backed up.
There are many options available to the user of online data backup when it comes to file versioning and retention. For instance, most online backup companies allow their clients the choice of having previous file versions saved automatically or manually. And, while the limit to the number of versions of a file that will be saved is something that is set by the online backup service provider in question, many of these companies allow their customers to decide the number of versions that will be automatically saved within that limit. This gives them the opportunity to simplify the number of files that are stored on the online backup company’s hard drives for whenever it comes time for them to browse the online backup itself in search of lost files or previous versions.
Indeed, amongst those that want to maintain the integrity (and sheer existence, for that matter) of their precious data, the importance of file versioning is quite well-known. As mentioned before, almost all online backup companies provide some amount of file versioning, with the average minimum number of versions being 10. We here at KineticD automatically keep 28 versions of your files on hand and available at all times. As mentioned before, if you feel that you need to have more than 28 previous versions backed up, all you have to do is save the file as a different name on your computer after every 28 saves, allowing you total freedom regarding how many versions of your important files you wish to put away for later.
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