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I really like the idea of using crashplan for it's offsite backup to another computer. However, seeing as how these types of services come and go seemingly daily or change plan pricing like Mozy did recently, will crashplan continue to work if they for instance go out of business?

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  • Great question. One way to test: setup 2 computers to backup to each other on a private network and disable or unplug any connection to external networks (e.g. internet). For exta verification a good idea to leave it in disconnected state for some time (weeks, months) to ensure it's not using cached CP central credentials or something. If someone does do this test, please let us know how it goes.
    – matt wilkie
    Dec 14, 2014 at 21:04

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You won't be able to do backups to remote PCs anymore - the two PCs hook up via the CrashPlan servers.

I'm guessing that you can probably back up to local drives.

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Restore functions without our infrastructure - provided you have access to backup set. (I.e. local backup, or another computer) So no risk there.

Another thing that's nice to know is we've been in business (and profitable!) since 2001.

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    So the answer to "will crashplan offsite backup work" is no?
    – Daniel Beck ♦
    Feb 2, 2011 at 16:46
  • Thanks for confirming restore works without CP central. If you ever come back here, please also answer the mirror side: will local backup work without CP infrastructure?
    – matt wilkie
    Dec 14, 2014 at 21:07
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If you've done your backup solution correctly, it should not hugely affect you. The crashplan client allows you to upload to multiple vendors, and you should do so if you feel there is a need. Your solution is usually only as good as its weakest point. It shouldn't be your only backup.

You can pay them some money to send your files back to you on a drive but that's only any good if you have warning of them going out of business. Otherwise, no, your data will be gone (but without anyone paying the electric bill what else can be expected ?).

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Assuming their infrastructure won't be available anymore at all I guess you should at least be able to restore your data by copying over the backup dirs from the destination machine. Afterwards you should "import" the backup archives on your machine. Give it a try while you're not connected to the internet.

In general, I'd suggest performing another type of backup (probably with different schedule) as well. Relying on one (proprietary) solution only could be dangerous.

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