IDrive SMB

With the unprecedented growth of remote access workforces, secure file storage and sharing have never been more critical. As a result, local file storage and backup are quickly becoming obsolete. The “cloud” has become the preferred platform for such functions, and as the need for more and more secure storage has grown, the options for storing, backing up and sharing files have also increased. IDrive for small to midsized businesses has become a popular cloud storage selection, so we decided to put it to the test.

The installation was straightforward. However, the initial backup we did was very slow, and we noticed that it taxed system resources and slowed down a bit whenever it was updating or uploading and downloading files. We were also surprised to find that the user console is not as clear and user-friendly as we thought it would be. The average user might have difficulty navigating the console at first.

We tested the cyber security of IDrive on a stand-alone system. We found that it caught the intentional threats we presented, had strong encryption for data transfer and remained secure throughout our testing. We also found the process for selecting files and folders easily, and bulk uploads are simple to initiate.

One nice feature of IDrive is being able to create a disk image of your system and save it to a disk or an external drive. For example, when we used it to restore a test system, the disk image restored everything exactly as it was on the copied system.

A significant negative issue of IDrive is that it doesn’t have any subscription plan that offers unlimited storage. Furthermore, users get charged when they go over their plan limit at the rate of 50 cents per GB. It’s nice that they offer unlimited devices. Still, the fact remains that whenever a new device is added to a system, it becomes part of the storage ceiling pool, sharing whatever storage limit is associated with the particular subscription. Also, the plans are very pricey at higher usage levels.

During our testing, we experienced occasional backup failures. IDrive is all about backing up files, so we believe the developers need to fix that bug. Also, we contacted customer support to discuss this issue and found them to be unresponsive. A business cannot afford to stop while waiting for technical support or customer service. IDrive needs to get much better at it. Businesses cannot be stalled, waiting for support.

In conclusion, although we found IDrive SMB to be serviceable and secure, there are better and more affordable options available that offer unlimited storage and reliable customer service.

Rating

Overall

3/5