With faster broadband, the tradition of backing up our data to disc orexternal drive is somewhat diminishing, in favour of backing up online. Thereare now various companies fighting that will enable you to install a desktopbackup application that will store your content on a remote server. These toolswill then enable you to restore backed up files on to other computers or evenaccess your backup data from a web browser, from a temporary host PC.

IDrive is another service provider that is fighting your backup account. Thedesktop tool is well designed. Install, choose the files or folders you want toput in your remote backup account and the application will make the firstinitial backup online. IDrive will synchronise your data between computer andremote server. This means that if you update the files you've previously backedup online, the IDrive tool will recognise the change and update the remotefiles, automatically.

IDrive enables you to go further that basic backup. You can create a backupset, where one backup set contains all your most important documents, the otheryour finances, fonts and so on. This makes restoring data far easier as you justgrab the set you want to restore, rather than individual files.

The best part is that this ships for both the Windows and Mac platform. TheMac version is somewhat glossy than the Windows version, too. However, thedownside is, unlike a rival tool such as Sugarsync, you don't seem to be able tosynchronise your files across different computers. As example, your My Documentsfolder on your PC and your Documents folder on your Mac. This is essential ifyou own multiple computers, such as a Windows desktop and Mac laptop. Indeed,reading through the IDrive specs, you can't share your backup account between aWindows and Mac. It is an either/or situation.

Note that IDrive ships with a free 2GB account. This is the Windows download.A Mac version is available from their homepage.