Remote backups are a form of offsite backup with a difference being that you can access, restore or administer the backups while located at your source location or other physical location. The term “remote” refers to the ability to control or administer the backups from another location.
You do not need to be physically present at the backup storage facility to access the backups.
Putting your backup hard drive at your bank safe deposit box would not be considered a remote backup. You cannot administer or access it without making a trip to the bank. The term “remote backup” is often used loosely and interchangeably with “online backup” and “cloud backup”.
Examples of Remote Backup
- Subscription backup services provided by commercial data centers.
- Backup to an offsite FTP Server.
Advantages
- Much better protection from natural disasters than local backups.
- Easier administration as it does not need a physical trip to the offsite backup location.
Disadvantages
- More expensive then local backups
- Can take longer to backup and restore than local backups