Carbonite (online backup)

Carbonite (NASDAQ: CARB)
Developer(s) Carbonite
Development status Active
Operating system Microsoft Windows, Mac OS
Type Remote backup service
Website www.carbonite.com

Carbonite is an online backup service, available to Windows and Mac users, that backs up documents, e-mails, music, photos, and settings.[1] It is named after carbonite, the fictional substance used to freeze Han Solo in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.[2] The generic purple color used on the company's website is also reminiscent of the color of carbon paper. It was the first such service to offer unlimited backup space for a fixed price.[3] Previously, all online backup services were priced by the gigabyte; many other vendors have since changed to an unlimited model .

Carbonite offers two separate lines of products: Carbonite Home and Home Office for individuals, families and 1-2 person businesses; and Carbonite Small Business for businesses with 3 or more computers.[4]

Carbonite was named 'Best Windows Backup Tool' by Lifehacker,[5] 'Labs Winner' by PC Pro, 'Editor's Choice' by NextAdvisor,[6] Hottest Boston Company by Lead411,[7] but received only 'two mice' in a MacWorld review putting it second to last.[8]

Contents

Product details

Carbonite Online Backup installs a client software program (Windows and Mac operating systems only, Linux based systems are not supported) on the user’s computer that operates continuously in the background. This client software automatically seeks out new and changed files on the user’s computer and backs them up using incremental backup.[9] Each file is compressed and encrypted using a 128-bit Blowfish encryption before it is sent to remote servers at the company's data centers via the Internet. Data is transmitted to the servers using a secure SSL link.[10] The encrypted files are stored on 15-drive RAID 6 storage arrays.[11] The client software also provides de-duplication at the bit level only. Thus files moved to a new drive will be backed up twice.

The program is designed to automatically back up user-generated content including text documents, spreadsheets, financial documents, photos, music, etc. Specifically, on a Windows PC, Carbonite backs up everything in the Documents and Settings folder, including the desktop, favorites, and all other files except for temporary, log and video files. Any file or folder can be added to the default backup[12] if it is on a local (internal) drive formatted with the FAT32 or NTFS file systems. The backup software integrates with Windows Explorer, adding green dots to the file icons of any backed up file.[13] Adding or removing files from the backup is done using the right mouse button and the Windows context menus. For Intel-based Macs running Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or 10.5 (Leopard),[14] Carbonite is controlled through System Preferences and using the contextual menu. File systems supported 'by default' on Mac OS X are supported by the Mac client with the exception of FAT.

The program also includes a remote access application that allows individual files to be downloaded to any computer using a web browser.[15]

Company profile

CEO David Friend and CTO Jeff Flowers, founded Carbonite in 2005, the fifth joint venture for the pair who also together founded Computer Pictures, Pilot Software, FaxNet and Sonexis.[16]

Since its launch in 2006, Carbonite has backed up more than 100 billion files and has restored more than 7 billion lost files for its customers.[17]

Carbonite introduced their Macintosh version for Intel-based Macs with OS 10.4 or 10.5 in March 2009.[18]

History

The product debuted at Staples in 2006 when it focused on photo backup and offered a free six-month subscription with all camera purchases.[19] It partnered with Microsoft in 2006 to include the program with purchase of Microsoft Money 2007.[20] and renewed the following year for the 2008[21]

In 2007 it was named ‘Top Private Company’ by AlwaysOn in 2007.[22]

It has partnered with several other backup, storage, and file transfer companies: with Ipswitch,Inc. in 2007 to provide the service to purchasers of their FTP client,[23] OLBEX in 2007 to offer the service to U.S. cable companies,[24] Sonic Solutions in 2008 to provide core technologies for their digital media storage solution,[25] and with TDS Telecom in 2008 to provide core technologies for their online backup service,[26] and with LaCie in 2008,to power their online backup.[27] It partnered,[28] with Lifeboat Distribution in 2008, to enhance distribution coverage within North America.[29]

It partnered with Packard Bell in 2008, the first partnership between an independent online backup company and major PC manufacturer, providing all purchasers of their desktop and notepad computers in Europe a free four-month subscription.[28] It subsequently partnered also with Lenovo in 2008, to have the service pre-loaded on their PCs,[30] and with Acer to have their online backup service pre-installed on select PCs. Acer [31] signed on for a similar arrangement in 2009.

In 2009, it admitted loss of backups of "over 7,500 customers" in a lawsuit filed against Promise Technology, provider of hardware[32]

In May 2011, Carbonite filed with the SEC to raise up to $100 million in an initial public offering.[33]

On June 6, 2011, Carbonite acquired Phanfare. Carbonite declined to honor Phanfare lifetime memberships, instead granted lifetime members $299 in Phanfare credit which would expire after three years if unused.[34] Two days later, Phanfare founder and CEO, Andrew Erlichson notified lifetime subscribers that customers requesting a refund will be paid not by Carbonite, but what remains of Phanfare, Inc.[35]

Funding

In 2006, it secured $2.5 million in series A financing from 3i and CommonAngels;[36] in 2007 it completed $15 million series B financing led by Menlo Ventures.[37] in 2008 it secured additional $5 million in series B-2 funding[24] and completed C round financing with approximately $20 million of new capital, led by Performance Equity of Stamford, Connecticut;[38] in 2010 it closed a mezzanine round of funding with the total financing raised to $67 million.[39] Carbonite announced its IPO in August 2011, raising $62.5 million in its offering.[40]

Releases

Amazon review controversy

Carbonite reviews on Amazon were a subject of controversy in early 2009. Apparently, employees of the company posted favorable testimonial-style ads on Amazon in 2006, including those by senior members of the management team.[52] Additionally, the New York Times reported that the CEO was made aware of the situation in September 2008 but did nothing to remove the false postings until the NY Times blog appeared in January 2009.[53]

See also

References

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  2. ^ Muchmore, Michael (2008-04-04). "Carbonite Online PCBackup". PC Magazine. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2281617,00.asp. Retrieved 2009-04-23. 
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  4. ^ "Home & Home Office or Small Business: Which is right for you?". Carbonite. 2011-06-29. http://www.carbonite.com/en/products. Retrieved 2011-10-19. 
  5. ^ Pash, Adam (2008-09-21). "Best of the Best: The Hive Five Winners". Lifehacker. http://lifehacker.com/5052582/best-of-the-best-the-hive-five-winners. Retrieved 2009-04-23. 
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  25. ^ "Roxio Launches BackOnTrack Online". Reuters. 2008-01-22. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS121239+22-Jan-2008+PRN20080122. Retrieved 2009-04-23. 
  26. ^ "Carbonite Announces Agreeement With TDSe". Byte and Switch. 2008-05-01. http://www.byteandswitch.com/document.asp?doc_id=152688&print=true. Retrieved 2009-04-23. 
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  30. ^ "Carbonite Online Backup to be Bundled with Lenovo PCs in Australia/NZ". PC World. 2008-09-15. http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/260355/carbonite_online_backup_bundled_lenovo_pcs_australia_nz. Retrieved 2009-04-23. 
  31. ^ "Acer Adds 30-day Trial of Carbonite Online Backup Service to Select Acer PCs Shipping to U.S....". Forbes. 2009-03-05. http://www.forbes.com/feeds/prnewswire/2009/03/05/prnewswire200903051150PR_NEWS_USPR_____DE79459.html. Retrieved 2009-04-23. 
  32. ^ Weisman, Robert (21 March 2009). "Data backup firm sues 2 hardware suppliers". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2009/03/21/data_backup_firm_sues_2_hardware_suppliers/. Retrieved 11 October 2009. 
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  34. ^ George, Kendall. "Newsflash: Phanfare Sucks Again". http://www.georges.nu/blog/2011/06/newsflash-phanfare-sucks-again. Retrieved 6 June 2011. 
  35. ^ George, Kendall. "Phanfare Update: Sucking Less, Again". http://www.georges.nu/blog/2011/06/phanfare-update-sucking-less-again/. Retrieved 9 June 2011. 
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  40. ^ "No LinkedIn Pop, but Carbonite Still Climbs 23% in Debut". New York Times. 2011-08-11. http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/08/11/no-linkedin-pop-but-carbonite-goes-public/. Retrieved 2011-10-19. 
  41. ^ "Online Digital Photo Backup from Carbonite Debuts at Staples". Digital ImageMaker. 2006-01-16. http://www.dimagemaker.com/2006/01/16/online-digital-photo-backup-from-carbonite-debuts-at-staples/. Retrieved 2009-04-23. 
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  47. ^ "Carbonite Appoints Draque as Spanish Publisher & Releases Spanish Version of Online...". Reuters. 2008-06-19. http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS229085+19-Jun-2008+PRN20080619. Retrieved 2009-04-23. 
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  51. ^ "Carbonite Introduces New Small Business Online Backup". Online Backup Deals. 2011-06-15. http://www.onlinebackupdeals.com/carbonite/carbonite-small-business-online-backup/. Retrieved 2011-10-19. 
  52. ^ "These reviews are pretty fishy...". Amazon. 2007-02-01. http://www.amazon.com/These-reviews-are-pretty-fishy/forum/Fx2YEQNREXJJPZZ/Tx2VMX9R40DXLQZ/1/ref=cm_cd_ef_rt_tft_tp?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=B000HX9K2E. Retrieved 2009-06-13. 
  53. ^ Pogue, David (2009-01-29). "Carbonite Stacks the Deck on Amazon". New York Times. http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/carbonite-stacks-the-deck-on-amazon/. Retrieved 2009-06-13. 

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