backups & restores for the regular user. File retention policies Many businesses require a flexible file retention policy that can be applied to an unlimited number of groups of files called "sets". Fully managed services Some services offer a higher level of support to businesses that might request immediate help, proactive monitoring, personal visits from their service provider, or telephone support. Redundancy Multiple copies of data backed up at different locations. This can be achieved by having two or more mirrored data centers, or by keeping a local copy of the latest version of backed up data on site with the business. Regulatory compliance Some businesses are required to comply with government regulations that govern privacy, disclosure, and legal discovery. A service provider that offers this type of service assists customers with proper compliance with and understanding of these laws. Seed loading Ability to send a first backup on a portable storage device rather than over the Internet when a user has large amounts of data that they need quickly backed up. Server backup Many businesses require backups of servers and the special applications or databases that run on them, such as groupware, SQL, ERP- or CRM-systems and directory services. This requires not only regular file-based approach, but specific point-in-time backups and restores for databases. Versioning Keeps multiple past versions of files to allow for rollback to or restoration from a specific point in time. Cost factors Online backup services are usually priced as a function of the following things: The total amount of data being backed up. The total amount of data being restored. The number of machines covered by the backup service. The maximum number of versions of each file that are kept. Data retention and archiving period options Managed backups vs. Unmanaged backups The level of service and features available Some vendors limit the number of versions of a file that can be kept in the system. Some services omit this restriction and provide an unlimited number of versions. Add-on features (plug-ins), like the ability to back up currently open or locked files, are usually charged as an extra, but some services provide this built in. Most remote backup services reduce the amount of data to be sent over the wire by only backing up changed files. This approach to backing up means that the customers total stored data is reduced. Reducing the amount of data sent