FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Pricing

What is your pricing?: Our pricing is fair and simple and based on two things: the size of the file and how much the data is worth to you. The storage fee is based on size and is very minimal. The value fee is based on how much you tell us it is worth to you. We charge you 10 cents per thousand dollars of value each month.
Is there a minimum or maximum value that I can declare for my data?: The minimum value for a file is $1000 which will cost you $.10 per month. There is no maximum value that can be declared for a file.
Is there a cost for retrieving?: One dollar per gigabyte or fraction thereof.
What if the value of the file changes?: You can increase or decrease the value at any time. Increases take effect immediately, decreases take effect in 30 days, in order to give you time to reconsider without suffering any interim risk.
How often do I pay?: Charges are monthly. Payment is due by the 15th day of the following month. Late payments incur a charge and accounts must be current in order to retrieve data.
How do I find out what I owe?: You can view your account securely on the web which is updated daily. As a courtesy, we will send you an email at the end of each month to remind you to view and download your statement of account.
How long will I be able to see my account information?: Indefinitely.
What if I want to cancel guaranteed storage?: You simply decrease the value of the archive to zero.

Security

How do you secure my data?: By spreading the information among a number of distinct widely separated data centers.
What happens if you lose a server or an entire data center or multiple data centers?: Our proprietary technologies enable us to spread the data in such a way that as long as we are able to preserve enough fragments to cover the size of the original file we can reconstitute the original file bit for bit. We can make the probability of success in reconstituting your file extremely high, able to withstand multiple simultaneous cataclysms.
Does every file get equal protection?: By basing our fees on the value you declare for your archive, we can give to every file the extreme of protection appropriate for it. We take on the risk so we have every incentive to carefully safeguard your data.
Can anyone see my files?: We spread your information so that any one server has only a small piece of your file. However, you are responsible for adequately encrypting your file before you send it to us. All file fragments are encrypted for transmission among our data centers.

What Do I Need?

What hardware is required?: Any computer that has Internet access may use our service.
What software is required?: If you have a web browser that is all you need to be able to send us your files. You may find it convenient to combine files into archives and you should compress and encrypt your data prior to submission. See our archive creation resources page for alternatives. You can use our service with any existing backup or archival software you are using, and submissions can be easily automated.

Verification

How can we verify successful backups?: With every submission we issue a certificate of guarantee confirming your valuation of the data and containing digital fingerprints of your file. You can verify the fingerprint for yourself using freely available software to be completely assured that we have received your file exactly as you sent it. If we are unable to restore to you that same file as evidenced by its having the exact same digital fingerprint, then we pay you the full value you have declared for that file. You transfer your risk to us.
How do I prove that I transferred my risk to you?: Each certificate comes with a digital signature from Data Risk Management allowing you and any third party to verify that we have assumed the risk of being able to produce the file having that specific digital fingerprint.
What fingerprint do you use?: Currently each certificate bears both an MD5 and a SHA1 hash value.
What if there is a problem with my data submission?: We email you a verification with every file you submit. Either you will get a certificate guaranteeing your file storage or you will get a notice outlining the problem. You can reach us 24 hours a day every day of the year for help resolving your submission problems.

Retrieval

How do I get my data back?: At any time from anywhere using any computer with a web browser, you upload the certificate that guarantees your data to a secure web page which then automatically downloads your file.
How much does it cost to retrieve a file?: We charge a nominal $1.00 per gigabyte (or fraction thereof) retrieval fee in order to maintain higher system availability for customers in need of urgent data service.
What if I lose my certificate?: While you are responsible for producing a valid certificate, we do maintain copies in our database and will be happy to assist you in managing your certificates.
What if something goes wrong in the retrieval?: If we are unable to recover your file we pay you the value declared on the certificate of guarantee. If we are able to recover your file, but you are unable to download it, you can arrange with us to ship it to you on disk, tape, DVD, CD, or flash device.
How long would it take to restore my data?: The answer depends on your network bandwidth. Because we store all your information on-line, there is almost no processing overhead in getting you your data which will arrive as fast as your network can receive it.