When I wrote about IDrive in January 2010, the problem was simple: a stolen or broken computer can take your work, photos and records with it. A copy on that same computer does little in that situation. An online backup keeps another version elsewhere.
Automation is only the start
IDrive still describes scheduled cloud backups together with protection for changes between them. That preserves the original point of this article. My old prices, storage figures and claim that every file is copied every ten minutes should not be treated as current product information. Timing depends on the settings and feature you choose.
Decide which folders and devices belong in your backup. Include documents, photos, projects and any files exported locally from apps. Then check whether jobs actually finish. Installing backup software is not proof that your data is protected.
Can you restore it?
The useful test is recovery. Restore a sample file occasionally and check that it opens and that you have the version you expected. Consider how long a full recovery might take if you have a great deal of data.
An online copy does not solve every failure. Think about a compromised account, a folder accidentally removed from the selection or a damaged file that has already been backed up. A second independent copy gives you another chance to recover. The lasting lesson from 2010 is not that one service makes loss impossible. Automatic backup matters when you can verify and restore it.