CARBONITE - Hit or Miss Service

I have many clients who use Carboite along with other backup solutions such as Mozy. Most of my clients are pleased with Carbonite's service, however a select few (including yours truly) have had the worst experience known to man. Though I am more than sure others have a completely different experience, I can tell you that I would be very leery to use Carbonite.

I'll spare you the long story, but looking through my emails, it looks like my client and I have been trying to get a resolution from Carbonite Support since at least March of this year. When trying to access/download files in a specific folder (only this folder was affected) the file access website would return the message "An internal error has occurred please try again later." Though I was confident the files were being backed up and that in the event of an emergency, my client would be able to recover his data via a Carbonite ordered hard drive, this was still a feature that he had paid for which was not working. As a side note, my client evidently wanted this feature so that he may access his data from anywhere. Being that my top priority is to have SOME KIND of solution until the immediate problem can be resolved, I set him up with a Windows Live Mesh account and he couldn't be happier. Also, as another backup, Windows SBS 2007 (the edition my client has) has a rather nifty and easy to use web interface allowing him to access his files from anywhere and even remotely control computers on his network. But I digress.

I went back and forth between one Eric Raymond for months. Eventually, Eric stopped emailing me. We were left hanging until the other day when a new, more serious issue arose. Behold the following screenshots:

Website claims that a backup is passed due.

Carbonite client says otherwise.

At this point, both my client and I were reaching our limits of patience. I mean, this was a paid account, mind you. Now, here is what started me writing this particular blog entry - I emailed Eric (the individual with whom we had been dealing with for months) regarding this issue and explained that I would be in a conference call all day and would only be able to talk via email. I received a call the day of the conference call from Robert W. (no last name given). I told him I was in the middle of a conference call and to please speak with me via email. Robert said it was no problem and sent the following email:

Response Via Email (Robert W. - Boston, MA)	06/25/2012 10:39 AM
Hello, I am a member of Carbonite’s Escalation Team and have been assigned to personally handle your case until it’s resolved. Please respond to this email so that we can set up a remote session. I am in the Boston office from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. Sincerely, Carbonite Escalation Team www.carbonite.com The Better Backup Plan.
Question Reference #120625-000464 Date Created: 06/25/2012 10:39 AM

I responded to his email and sat and waited.....for four hours. I then emailed Eric to inform him of the situation only to just now be told that he was in Sales and could not help me. Here's the kicker - Eric informed me that Robert could only repair the issue by obtaining remote connection to the server (something I had requested in the first place). We went back and forth for about an hour about continuing via email while Eric insisted that the technician must call me in order to obtain remote access. Finally, I told Eric that I would leave the conference call for 10 minutes and to tell Robert to call me. I sat for 20 minutes. I emailed Eric asking him what was going on. Upon informing him that my client wants to cancel his service, Eric responded with "Sounds Good, Chris." About 5 minutes later I got a call from Robert and the critical conversation went as follows:

Robert: "Could you go to support.carbonite.com for me, please?"

(i go to the website in question)

(Robert provides me with a code)

Robert: "Okay! I'll take it from here!"

REALLY? THAT'S IT? And this couldn't have been done via email!?

Long story short, our backup issue APPEARS to have been solved - for now. However our web file access issue still remains.

Take a look here as well:

http://www.customerservicescoreboard.com/Carbonite

http://www.ripoffreport.com/internet-services/carbonite-inc/carbonite-inc-carbonite-i-p-7f692.htm

http://www.ripoffreport.com/computer-service-repair/carbonite-inc/carbonite-inc-do-not-purchas-bee2b.htm

http://www.ripoffreport.com/computer-service-repair/carbonite/carbonite-doesn-t-always-work-1b3db.htm

For more help and tips, check out www.MooreITHelp.com

First Look At Windows 8

Most of you have probably seen the recent changes in technology and its impact on our daily lives. Kindle’s and iPad’s are now more common on the train than newspapers and books. Pretty much everyone has a pair of iPod ear buds in their ears, and almost all new devices run on a touch screen interface. Well Microsoft has been well aware of these changes and has been making revolutionary changes in their latest OS – Windows 8. As your technician, I am here to keep you in the loop. Technology has truly found its way into our daily lives, and I for one couldn’t be happier. Windows 8 is taking a leap into this new generation, “the most radical overhaul of Microsoft’s premiere software since Windows 95” says Microsoft’s Sam Moreau and Windows president Steven Sinofsky calls the new OS a “generational change”. Microsoft recently released Windows 8 Release Preview, which I installed on one of my spare units the other day. So let’s deal with the first thing you will see and no doubt have a lot of questions about: Windows Metro. Those of you with Windows phones may have an easier time adjusting than others.

This… is Metro – the new interface Microsoft is attempting to accommodate the new generation of touch screens, netbooks, and tablets. Now, many of you may have a panic attach when your new computer turns on and shows you this, but don’t worry – your desktop is still there. Metro is a sort of replacement for the Start button. It’s no secret that Windows 7 wasn’t exactly the best match for netbooks and works best on a desktop machine. Windows 8 is sort of working to remedy that, removing Windows 7’s tiny sweet spots and buttons. Instead, we are given a very swoopy interface designed with large tiles and fast and simplistic options. Metro’s “main page”, if you will, presents the user with the most common tasks right at the fingertips – literally. Though it is a step into the touch screen generation, one can still use the mouse to interact with the system.

 

Metro uses a series of downloadable apps, similar to your phone. It is here that you can see another bit of where technology is headed. Touch and voice interface systems all working to interconnect each and every one of us. The methods of sharing files and office meetings of early 2000 will be a joke compared to what is in store for the next 10 – 20 years, I’d say. At the risk of this becoming a dull read, ill cut it off here for now. Don’t worry, my favorite thing is to find work around to interfaces I hate so the next thing to come will more than likely be a few tips and tricks to removing features you don’t like. To get the best customization of your new machine, and all your questions answered, visit us at www.MooreITHelp.com or call 617-396-7044.