Typically lacking IT departments, small business owners are responsible for their own data backup. And like most folks in their personal lives, small businesses typically pay too little attention to backing up their critical data.




For an individual, a PC crash might mean losing all your MP3s, a lifetime's worth of email or pictures of your your little one's first step -- or worse (if there could be worse).

Small business losses are even more damaging: customer contact lists, QuickBooks files for the year, customer project specs.

Thankfully, there are some incredibly easy-to-use yet powerful online data storage and backup services that every small business consider using.

Need more proof that online storage is big business? Today, storage giant EMC has reportedly acquired one of the Web's most innovative online storage providers, Mozy.com, for $76 million.

If you are a "completist" by nature and want to explore the full breadth and depth of online storage providers, here's a couple of mega-lists covering this area:

WebStrategist: Players in Online Data Storage

TechCrunch: The Online Storage Gang

If you just want to further explore the cream of the crop, start here:

Mozy Download a small bit of software and your PC automatically backs itself up. You can back up everything or choose folders, individual files and/or file types. Home/small biz prices start free for 2Gb storage at $4.95 per month for unlimited storage; a MozyPro business version offers more features.

Box.Net More focused on file storage and sharing than pure backup. Get 1GB for free, 5GB for $7.95 per month or 15 GB for $19.95 per month.

Xdrive An AOL service, Xdrive offers 5GB of online storage for free.

Carbonite Most similar to Mozy, Carbonite is focused on automated synching and backup. Unlimited storage and backup for $49.95 per year.