Virgin on-line back-up

As Virgin Media is my ISP, I was interested to try their on-line back-up service, called "V Stuff". However there are postings on their
forums that it has not been working properly for months - allegedly it does not back up updated versions of files but just keeps the
original. Has anyone on these forums used it successfully, and what is the legal position if it does not work and data is lost as a
result?

Thanks in advance.

On 08/07/10 11:03, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> As Virgin Media is my ISP, I was interested to try their on-line back-up service, called "V Stuff". However there are postings on their
> forums that it has not been working properly for months - allegedly it does not back up updated versions of files but just keeps the
> original. Has anyone on these forums used it successfully, and what is the legal position if it does not work and data is lost as a
> result?

Not used it, but you can be sure that the legal position is 'you're
stuffed'!

Something similar happened with BT's vault. With a month's notice they
decided to pull the service and after that point you could assume all
the data lost. Of course the system fell over as soon as all the users
tried to either retrieve or delete all their stuff.

My realisation about these online back-up services is: *don't do it*.

the-sbray wrote:
> On Jul 8, 11:03 am, v.meld...@i.do.not.believe.it wrote:
>> As Virgin Media is my ISP, I was interested to try their on-line
>> back-up service, called "V Stuff". However there are postings on
>> their forums that it has not been working properly for months -
>> allegedly it does not back up updated versions of files but just
>> keeps the original. Has anyone on these forums used it successfully,
>> and what is the legal position if it does not work and data is lost
>> as a result?
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>
> Have you spoken to their tech support regarding the issues? And what
> was their response?
>
> As far as I'm aware, V-Stuff is a free service offered by Virgin
> Media, as as such, would not have any Service Level Agreements in
> place. Therefore there is no guarrantee that the serice will be free
> from faults and that they will continue offering the service.
>
> Personally I wouldn't store any files on there that I didn't have a
> copy of. Indeed the cost of removable media nowadays, why would you
> want to use a service hosted by another company?

Had my mum's house broken into a few weeks ago. They nicked both our
laptops, digital cameras, a removable hard disk and a USB stick.

Fortunately I also use google docs/picasa to back up all my docs, pics and
files. At $5.00 per year for 25GB it's hardly breaking the bank. Yes, I know
all about the privacy issues, but it's hardly sensitive information, and
it's backed up.

--
Mike P

Mike P wrote:
> the-sbray wrote:
>> On Jul 8, 11:03 am, v.meld...@i.do.not.believe.it wrote:
>>> As Virgin Media is my ISP, I was interested to try their on-line
>>> back-up service, called "V Stuff". However there are postings on
>>> their forums that it has not been working properly for months -
>>> allegedly it does not back up updated versions of files but just
>>> keeps the original. Has anyone on these forums used it successfully,
>>> and what is the legal position if it does not work and data is lost
>>> as a result?
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance.
>> Have you spoken to their tech support regarding the issues? And what
>> was their response?
>>
>> As far as I'm aware, V-Stuff is a free service offered by Virgin
>> Media, as as such, would not have any Service Level Agreements in
>> place. Therefore there is no guarrantee that the serice will be free
>> from faults and that they will continue offering the service.
>>
>> Personally I wouldn't store any files on there that I didn't have a
>> copy of. Indeed the cost of removable media nowadays, why would you
>> want to use a service hosted by another company?
>
> Had my mum's house broken into a few weeks ago. They nicked both our
> laptops, digital cameras, a removable hard disk and a USB stick.
>
> Fortunately I also use google docs/picasa to back up all my docs, pics and
> files. At $5.00 per year for 25GB it's hardly breaking the bank. Yes, I know
> all about the privacy issues, but it's hardly sensitive information, and
> it's backed up.
>
all my serious stuff is on a server that previous experience shows is so
old and ugly no one would want to steal it.

a 15 years old industrial case is not something you flog down teh pub.

Thats got mirrored disks, and the really crucial stuff is also on a
mates server some miles away.

Linux and rsync makes it all easy ..

On Thu, 8 Jul 2010 06:28:07 -0700 (PDT), the-sbray <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Jul 8, 11:03*am, v.meld...@i.do.not.believe.it wrote:
>> As Virgin Media is my ISP, I was interested to try their on-line back-up service, called "V Stuff". *However there are postings on their
>> forums that it has not been working properly for months - allegedly it does not back up updated versions of files but just keeps the
>> original. * Has anyone on these forums used it successfully, and what is the legal position if it does not work and data is lost as a
>> result?
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>
>Have you spoken to their tech support regarding the issues? And what
>was their response?

Several people have reported the fault, the first being in early May, but VM have yet to come up with a solution. In the meantime they
still advertise it as a working service.


>
>As far as I'm aware, V-Stuff is a free service offered by Virgin
>Media, as as such, would not have any Service Level Agreements in
>place. Therefore there is no guarrantee that the serice will be free
>from faults and that they will continue offering the service.
>
>Personally I wouldn't store any files on there that I didn't have a
>copy of. Indeed the cost of removable media nowadays, why would you
>want to use a service hosted by another company?
>
>If the data is lost, then you can not claim anything from them. Indeed
>I would suggest that you take a look at their Terms & Conditions.
>Check the following extract from the T&C:
>
>5.3 You are responsible for independent backup of Content stored in
>your Account. You agree to assume all risk of loss of such Content.
>
>12.3 In no circumstances will Virgin Media be liable in contract, tort
>(including negligence or otherwise) for any loss or corruption of any
>data, or any loss of business, contracts, profits, anticipated
>savings, reputation, or revenue loss, or for any other indirect or
>consequential loss whatsoever.

But is it reasonable to carry on advertising a service they do not provide? Rather like the White Star Line selling New York to Southampton
tickets on the Titanic after it had gone down?

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> As Virgin Media is my ISP, I was interested to try their on-line back-up
> service, called "V Stuff". However there are postings on their
> forums that it has not been working properly for months - allegedly it
> does not back up updated versions of files but just keeps the
> original. Has anyone on these forums used it successfully, and what is
> the legal position if it does not work and data is lost as a
> result?

Get yourself a 250GB (or larger) portable hard drive. "The Cloud" is a waste
of time.


--
Carl Waring