IDrive sits between the consumer-focused simplicity of Carbonite and the aspirational features of Mozy and SOS. The interface is a pair of Explorer tree views, but there’s also a File Selection wizard that covers popular applications.

Other great features include a capacity gauge and a bandwidth throttle in the backup status window. You can also create scheduled backups or set the service to back up while idle.

Restoring data is easy, whether you restore files and folders from the main Classic view or the IDrive Explorer, which is accessible directly from My Computer.

A web-based restore process helps when moving files to a second PC. IDrive stores up to 30 versions of each file; restore a different version with a simple right-click.

Versions aren’t counted in your purchased capacity, and the service uploads only the changed portions of altered documents, saving time and bandwidth.

Continuous backup is a strength, with IDrive spotting and uploading changed files within ten minutes of alteration.

Files are protected by 128-bit SSL during transfer and 256-bit AES in storage, mirrored at a secure fire- and earthquake-proof datacenter. Pro users also have their data mirrored at another location with optional user-defined key.

IDrive provides 2GB free, while a Pro account gets you up to 150GB, phone support and the ability to manage multiple accounts centrally, along with email notification and status reports.

The icing on the cake is speed. IDrive created the fastest initial backup, and third-fastest full restore, giving it the edge over the similar Mozy service.

It isn’t as easy to use as Carbonite, but it’s a well-featured and highly tweakable product, and the free account will cover many users’ needs.