Arq: Backup to the Cloud

Our team has just begun using a neat, but powerful little program called Arq. Arq is a simple backup application developed by Haystack Software, which runs in the background and automatically keeps versions of folders you point it too. It’s similar to Time Machine in that regard, however the biggest differentiator is that it backs your files up to the cloud via Amazon’s S3. Additionally, Arq allows multiple computers to utilize the same S3 instance, which means my team and I can all share work files effortlessly.

Goodbye Time Machine?

Not exactly. I currently use Time Machine to create backups on my external drive which works great, but also gives you very limited control over what gets backed up and also does not allow for sharing. Another somewhat unsettling reality of my Time Machine usage is the thought of my entire laptop bag getting stolen, run over, dropped off a cliff (you get the idea) and having both my laptop hard drive along with my backup suddenly out of commission. Using Arq, my (and my team’s) most critical files are now backed up in the cloud, which means I can sleep a little easier at night.

Hello S3.

Some users may see the fact that Arq does not come with it’s own storage service as a disadvantage, but I would strongly disagree with that point. It’s a reality that most startup tech companies don’t last forever, or even past the 2 year mark in many instances. Knowing that my data is hosted separately by a larger, more-likely-to-be-around-in-5-years service is a bit more comforting, although I have no doubt Haystack Software will be around for many years to come. Amazon charges a very reasonable rate for storage and I think it’s well worth both the $10/month for 100Gigs as well as the $29 for Arq, for a little piece of mind.

Download Arq | Signup for Amazon S3