What is Backblaze?
Backblaze is an online backup service for PCs and Macs. Founded in 2007, Backblaze provides unlimited cloud backup for computers and servers. Backblaze offers affordable plans starting at just $6 per month for unlimited storage of documents, photos, videos and other files. The Backblaze client software continually backs up data in the background so all files are protected. Files can be restored from any web browser or mobile device in the event of data loss. Backblaze’s data centers have high security and redundancy to keep data safe. With over 500 petabytes of customer data stored, Backblaze is a trusted leader in online backup services. Backblaze aims to make backing up effortless through its easy-to-use software.
Backblaze can back up documents, photos, music, videos and other important files on Windows and Mac computers (Backblaze Company Overview). The Backblaze client runs quietly in the background and backs up data continuously to the Backblaze cloud servers. Should a file be deleted or a hard drive crash, the Backblaze backup allows easy file restoration. Backblaze offers mobile apps for iOS and Android to access files remotely. With data centers in Sacramento and Phoenix, Backblaze redundantly stores copies of backup data for security.
Backblaze Compatible Drives
Backblaze is compatible with both internal and external hard drives. During installation, Backblaze will automatically detect and back up any internal drives connected to your computer. It will also back up any external USB or Firewire hard drives you have attached to the computer at the time of installation.
According to Backblaze’s support article on external hard drive backup, “During installation, Backblaze will back up any USB or Firewire hard drive you have attached to your computer. You can also add external hard drives later on and Backblaze will automatically detect and backup those as well.” [1]
So in summary, Backblaze is fully compatible with and able to back up both internal and external hard drives connected to your computer via USB or Firewire.
How Backblaze Backs Up Drives
Backblaze is a cloud backup service that continuously backs up all the data connected to your computer, including external hard drives and USB flash drives. According to the Backblaze website, “Backblaze backs up all of your internal AND external hard drives connected to your computer” (source).
The Backblaze backup client runs silently in the background and constantly scans for new or changed files to back up. Any files saved to an external drive connected to your computer via USB, Firewire, or Thunderbolt will automatically be backed up to the cloud. Backblaze does not limit how much data can be backed up from external drives.
This “unlimited data from unlimited drives” approach makes Backblaze easy to use, as you don’t have to actively select which files/drives to back up. As long as the drive is connected, Backblaze will back it up without needing any configuration. This includes common external hard drive setups like USB hard drives, SSDs, and RAID arrays.
Backing Up External Hard Drives
Backblaze automatically backs up external hard drives that are connected to your computer and powered on during the initial installation process. Here are the steps for backing up an external drive with Backblaze:
- Connect your external hard drive to your computer and turn it on.
- Download and install the Backblaze software.
- When prompted during installation, make sure to check the box saying you want to add external drives.
- Backblaze will now back up any files stored on your external drive, as long as it is connected and powered on.
- Whenever you add new files to your external drive, Backblaze will detect and back them up on its next scheduled backup.
Backblaze supports backing up most external hard drives, including USB and Firewire drives. However, there are some limitations:
- Each external drive can be up to 16TB in size.
- You can back up to 10 external hard drives per Backblaze account.
- The drive must connect via USB or Firewire; drives shared over a network are not supported.
As long as your external hard drive meets these requirements, Backblaze can automatically back it up continuously, giving you an extra layer of protection against data loss.
Backing Up External SSD Drives
External SSD drives can provide fast performance and large capacity for storing important data. However, SSDs can fail unexpectedly just like HDDs. Backing them up is critical.
Backblaze supports backing up external SSD drives connected via USB, Firewire, or Thunderbolt. It will automatically detect and begin backing up any external SSD drives connected to your computer 1.
Here are some tips for successfully backing up external SSDs with Backblaze:
- Connect the external SSD drive before installing Backblaze to ensure it is detected and added to your backup.
- Schedule regular scans in the Backblaze settings to detect any newly connected external SSD drives.
- Make sure the external SSD is powered on and connected whenever making changes to files you want backed up.
- Use the Backblaze mobile app or website to check that all expected external SSD files and folders are present.
- Consider using encrypted backups for any sensitive or private data stored on external SSDs.
With a few simple steps, you can gain peace of mind knowing your external SSD data is securely backed up online. Backblaze makes it easy to set and forget drive backups so you don’t have to worry.
Backing Up External RAID Drives
Backblaze supports backing up external RAID drives connected via USB or Firewire. When you connect an external RAID drive, Backblaze will automatically detect and back up the drive like any other external drive.
However, there are some limitations to be aware of when backing up RAID drives:
- Backblaze will back up each individual drive in the RAID array separately. It does not recognize the RAID configuration or treat the array as one logical drive.
- If a drive in the array fails, Backblaze may have trouble restoring the complete array. You may need to restore each drive individually and rebuild the array.
- Backblaze does not support hardware RAID controllers. The array must be set up via software RAID.
- For best results, RAID 1 mirroring is recommended over other RAID levels like RAID 5 or 6 which can be problematic to restore.[1]
Overall, Backblaze can provide a backup of external RAID arrays, with some limitations. Users should be prepared to rebuild the array from individual drive backups if needed.
Backing Up Network Drives
Backblaze does not natively support backing up network drives, network shares, or network-attached storage (NAS) devices. According to Backblaze’s documentation, this limitation is due to “technical challenges as well as potential licensing restrictions” (source).
Backblaze requires the backup client to be installed on a computer with direct access to the drive being backed up. So drives stored on a separate NAS device across a network won’t be visible to the Backblaze client for backup. Backblaze recommends using a NAS’s own backup features or a third-party tool for backing up NAS devices (source).
Some Backblaze users have found workarounds by mapping the network drive to an available drive letter on the computer with the Backblaze client installed. But Backblaze does not officially support this method, so results may be inconsistent (source).
Restoring from External Drives
Backblaze allows you to restore files from backups stored on external drives. Here are the steps to restore files from an external drive backup:
1. Log into your Backblaze account online.
2. Navigate to the “Restore” section.
3. Select the backup you want to restore from. Make sure you select the backup associated with your external drive.
4. Browse the backup and select the files or folders you wish to restore.
5. Click the “Restore” button.
6. Choose whether to download the files directly, or have Backblaze mail a USB drive or hard drive with the restored files. Mailing a drive incurs an additional fee.
7. If downloading directly, the selected files will download to your computer. If requesting a mailed drive, Backblaze will prepare and ship the drive to you.
8. Once received, connect the mailed drive to your computer to access your restored files.
With these steps, you can easily restore files from a Backblaze backup stored on an external or USB drive. Backblaze makes the process straightforward for restoring important files from off-site backups.
External Drive Backup Limits
There are no explicit limits to how much data you can backup from external drives with Backblaze. Backblaze offers unlimited cloud backup, meaning you can backup as much data as you like from both internal and external hard drives without worrying about storage caps or extra fees.
That said, Backblaze does recommend keeping external drives attached and powered on as much as possible to ensure all the data gets backed up. According to their support article, “To be selectable for backup, a given drive must be: 1) Natively read/write accessible by the operating system.” So external drives need to be connected and recognized by your computer for Backblaze to fully back them up 1.
In summary, there are no strict limits on external drive backup storage with Backblaze. You can backup unlimited data from external drives, as long as the drives are connected and powered on regularly for Backblaze to access and scan.
Backblaze External Drive FAQs
Here are some answers to commonly asked questions about backing up external drives with Backblaze:
Does Backblaze backup all my external drives? Yes, Backblaze will automatically backup any external USB or Firewire hard drives connected to your computer during initial backup. This includes single external HDDs, RAID drives, and network attached storage drives. However, there are some limits on the number of external drives that can be backed up.
Can I restore files from an external drive backup? Yes, you can restore any files that were backed up from an external drive through the Backblaze website. Simply log into your account and you can browse external drive backups and restore files like normal.
Why is my external drive no longer backing up? If an external drive disappears from your backup, it’s likely because it was disconnected for too long. Reconnecting the drive and allowing a new backup to complete will add it back to your backup.
Does Backblaze support RAID arrays? Backblaze can backup drives in a RAID 0, 1, or 5 configuration. However, the whole RAID volume will be backed up, not the individual drives.
Can I backup an external drive wirelessly? Backblaze requires external drives to be directly connected via USB or Firewire. Wireless external drives like network attached storage (NAS) devices are not supported.