Online backup brought to you by your ISP

Picked up on the following article this morning:

Cablevision, a major broadband provider headquartered in New York, has launched television ads promoting an online backup service — powered by Carbonite. The move targets consumers rather than small business owners. But it’s safe to expect Cablevision to make SMB online backup moves. Here’s why.

Cablevision’s TV ads promote Optimum Online Backup, Powered by Carbonite. The service offers consumers 2GB of free online storage — or enough space to store about 400 songs or about 600 photos, according to Cablevision. But to qualify for the service you need to be a Cablevision Optimum Online broadband subscriber.

Meanwhile, Cablevision also promotes Optimum Lightpath, a business-centric effort that includes managed services, data, voice, video and Internet services. The Lightpath effort also includes business continuity and backup services.

Generally speaking, Cablevision frequently promotes Optimum Lightpath to larger businesses, colleges, universities and hospitals. But it’s safe to expect Cablevision to increasingly target SMBs. I wonder if Carbonite — or another third-party backup service — will play a role.

During my time at Carbonite I have tried to work with countless ISPs to get them to offer Carbonite and online backup to their customers but haven’t had any success. Unfortunately it all comes down to economics, they all have to make a pretty buck out of it (and we don’t have enough to share around).

What astounds me though is the lack of enthusiasm most ISPs have generally shown to services like online backup when in the US, I can point to several partnerships that Carbonite Inc have created, yet we are at Zero in Australia.

As I have mentioned on many occassions via this Blog, as well as through Twitter and many forums etc, the issue in Australia has to do with a lack of education. Everyday PC owners just don’t know enough about backing up their home PCs. Unless they have a techo at home, it just doesn’t happen.

I have generally also found many ISPs not overly interested in even offering anti-virus software. Reading the press this week, there were some recommendations going around that ISPs may be required to stop custmers from using the net when a virus is detected. The liklihood of attracting a virus is actually less than losing a file or all of your files, yet no one is talking about encouraging their customers to stay backed up.

To be honest, several of the ISPs eg Internode and iiNet did show interest but they just weren’t ready for it.  It comes down to convincing the Product Managers and their executives that it makes sense to keep your customers secure from file loss. Happy customer is good for everyone I guess.

The results from the US are encouraging though, so I am sure ISPs will eventually embrace online backup in Australia as well.