LogMeIn on Tuesday unveiled a by-subscription online backup service that features an unlimited amount of storage, since files are backed up to other computers the user owns, not to a central server.
Users install LogMeIn Backup on two or more Windows PCs, said the Woburn, Mass. developer, then designate files and/or folders for automatic backup. The files, which compose what LogMeIn calls Backup Sets, are stored in a proprietary, encrypted, password-protected format on the receiving PC, then restored to the original machine when necessary.
Files and folders are backed up on a user-defined schedule. Both computers must be connected to the Internet at the time the backup is run.
Unlike other online backup services, which charge fees depending on how much server storage space is used, LogMeIn Backup costs a flat $6.95 per month to connect two PCs. Additional machines can be added to the backup network for $5.95 per month.
Although similar file synchronization services -- such as Microsoft's acquisition, FolderShare -- are free, and can be used for impromptu backups (FolderShare, for instance, syncs files on multiple machines, including Macs, whenever changes are made), they're not specifically designed for backing up data.
