About Stash
What is Mozy Stash?
Stash is a file synchronization feature that provides Mozy users a simple way to keep their most active data up to date across each of the computers they regularly use. As a complement to the protection of Mozy online backup, Stash simplifies having multiple devices while protecting your files.
How do I use Stash?
Stash is designed to work for you transparently, so you really don’t need to do much to use it. Think of it as just a place to put the files you’re actively working on so that you have them wherever you need them–your Stash.
When you install Stash on your computer, it links a local folder with your Stash online. Add a file to the local Stash folder, and you can securely access it from the Mozy website or Mozy's mobile app almost instantly. When you link more than one computer to your Stash, any changes you make on one linked computer get updated on all of your other linked computers.
You can also upload photos and videos to your Stash from your mobile phone or tablet. At a later phase in the public beta, you will be able to upload documents and other files, too.
Finally, because Stash uses the Mozy storage infrastructure, your Stash enjoys the same protection you have come to trust from Mozy online backup.
How is Stash different from Mozy online backup?
Online backup and Stash complement each other to provide you with anytime, anywhere access to all of your files. Although the two features work together, they each do their work somewhat differently.
- Mozy online backup protects files against loss no matter where they reside on your computer. The files you protect with online backup are always available to you through the Mozy app for mobiles or the Mozy web site. But unlike Stash, online backup never sends updates to other computers.
- With Mozy Stash, each computer that you have linked to your Stash automatically keeps its local Stash folder up to date with your Stash online. Files you put in your Stash are also available through the Mozy app and web site, but Stash goes a step further. Unlike with online backup, files that you put in your Stash get updated automatically so that you always have your latest work ready to go on each computer that is linked to your Stash.
Together, Mozy online backup and Stash make all your files available to you from anywhere, allowing you to choose which files you want to synchronize but still keeping the rest of your files easily available and completely protected.
How is Stash different from the Mozy app for mobiles?
The Mozy apps for Android and iOS devices has become one of Mozy’s most popular feature releases ever. With it, you can access all of the files you protect with Mozy from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, as well as Android mobile phones and Android tablets such as the Kindle Fire.
Stash is complementary, and makes the Mozy app even better. For example, during the public beta, the Mozy app allows you to upload photos and videos from your mobile device directly to your Stash. After uploading, your linked computers then automatically download the newly uploaded files so that you can work with them directly from your computers.
Stash also sends updates to your Mozy account as they happen rather than on a schedule. So if you have a file on your computer that you want to access it from your mobile and you don't want to wait until the next back up, Stash it!
What should I put in my Stash?
Anything you want. But since Mozy online backup already protects all the files on your computers, we recommend keeping your latest, greatest work in your Stash—especially the stuff you're actively editing. If you're working on a document and you want the latest changes to be there on each computer that you regularly use, put it in your Stash.
How do I get started with Stash?
To start using Stash, simply install the Stash software on your computer and sign in using your existing MozyHome email address. After successfully signing on, you will find a new Stash folder in your local user account’s home folder. Anything you move to this local Stash folder will get automatically uploaded to your Stash online. If you install the Stash software on another computer and sign on using the same MozyHome account, both computers will soon be up to date.
How much storage do I get with Stash?
Stash draws storage from your MozyHome plan. For example, if you are on a 50 GB plan and have already used 30 GB for online backup, then 20 GB remains available for Stash. Similarly, if you are a MozyHome Free subscriber, your Stash draws from your account’s 2 GB of storage.
Stash provides another advantage for Mozy customers who back up more than one computer. If you keep the same files on multiple computers, then backing up those files counts against your available storage capacity for each computer. Putting the files in your Stash allows you to offload them from backup on each machine, thereby consolidating their storage. In other words, Stash accounts for the files just once, no matter how many computers you have linked to your Stash.
Can I use Stash with a MozyPro account?
Not yet. We plan to release Stash to MozyPro in the first half of 2012.
In the mean time, we invite MozyPro subscribers to participate in the beta by registering for a MozyHome Free (2GB) account. Stash can run on the same computer as MozyPro online backup, with Stash using a separate MozyHome account.
I still have a subscription for MozyHome Unlimited. Can I use Stash with my MozyHome Unlimited account?
Mozy has been phasing out its Unlimited plans since early 2011, and the Stash public beta is available only to capacity-based MozyHome accounts. However, you can still participate in the beta. We invite you to register for a MozyHome Free (2GB) account. Stash can use the MozyHome Free account on a computer that runs Mozy online backup with a MozyHome Unlimited account.
Do I have to use Mozy online backup to use Stash?
No. You do not have to have Mozy online backup installed on a single computer to use Stash. Each has its own separate install to allow you to choose which you want on any given computer. But remember, Stash was designed to complement Mozy online backup so that all of your files are protected and available to you from anywhere. You can have it all, and Mozy recommends that you do.
How much will Stash cost?
MozyHome paid subscribers who signup prior to April 15, 2012 can count on having Stash as part of their ongoing subscription at no extra cost.
Mozy will announce new MozyPro and MozyHome subscription plans which include Stash in the near future.
I found an issue with Stash. How do I report it?
Great! We are eager to understand the problem and hope that you will help us troubleshoot it. Please start a new discussion topic for it in the forum at community.mozy.com.
Features
Why does Stash use a single folder?
Stash uses a single folder to keep the feature simple to understand and use. Mozy online backup can protect every folder on your whole computer, so having Stash use a single folder is a straightforward way to ensure compatibility between backup and file synchronization.
How many computers can I connect to my Stash?
During the beta, Stash allows MozyHome customers to link up to 5 computers to a single account. The number of Stash computers is independent of how many computers you have for online backup, and you can always access your files from as many mobile devices as you need.
On which computers should I install the Stash software?
Mozy recommends you take the following basic security precautions:
- Install the Stash software only on computers that you own (or know you can trust)
- Use a password-lock on your screensaver, with a reasonably short timeout
- If multiple people use the computer, each user should have a separate local account and each can use a separate Mozy account with Stash.
What operating systems are supported by Stash?
Stash runs on the same operating systems as Mozy online backup: Microsoft Windows (XP SP3 and later) and Mac OS X (10.5 "Leopard" and later on Intel architecture). We are considering adding Linux support, based on customer demand.
Can I access my Stash folder on the web though an Internet browser?
Yes. Mozy's Web Restore tool allows you to access your files from anywhere and download them instantly. After logging on to mozy.com, you can select your Stash folder just like any other backup machine.
Note Mozy’s current Web Restore tool does not allow you to upload or modify files online, yet. Mozy is working on an update to the Web Restore tool to enable full read-write access soon.
Can I access my Stash through the Mozy app for mobiles?
Yes. If you have the Mozy app for iOS or Android, you will find some cool features that work only with your Stash. On iOS devices, you can selectively upload photos to your Stash. In addition to selective upload, the Android app has an option to upload photos from your mobile device automatically as you take them.
With Stash can I use and edit documents on my mobile device?
You can access your Stashed documents through the Mozy app and, if you have the appropriate software on your device, you’ll be able to open them and edit them. Future iterations of Stash will also enable you to upload your edited documents back into your Stash.
Technical
Can I synchronize files between Windows and MacOS?
Definitely. One of the benefits of Stash is that it treats your files as belonging to you rather than one of your computers. Therefore, the files move with you across your various devices.
Of course, there are inherent differences between Windows & Mac OS. For example, the two platforms handle extended attributes differently (such as applying a special color or badge to a file or folder). Stash does not handle such attributes completely, yet.
What happens if two different computers try to update the same file in my Stash?
Although rare, it is possible to cause a change conflict in your Stash. A common case is when two linked computers make local updates to the same file at the same time. When a conflict like this occurs, it results in two versions of the file in your Stash. One of the files will have a slightly different filename to note the conflict, and its contents preserves the conflicting change.
Can I use a personal encryption key with Stash?
Yes, but not yet.
Unlike Mozy online backup, Stash does not yet provide an option to use a personal encryption key. Until it does, Stash will encrypt files using Mozy’s default encryption rather than your personal encryption key. You can continue using Mozy online backup and the Mozy app for mobiles with a personal encryption key while participating in the Stash beta.
Are there types of files that I should not put in my Stash?
Yes. Some types of files, such as some application database files, are best protected by Mozy online backup rather than Stash. For example, Microsoft Outlook Personal Storage Tables (.pst files) remain locked while Outlook is running. Online backup is optimized to protect these files, and can back them up even while Outlook is still running. Mozy Stash cannot protect these files effectively—especially if you have more than one computer running Outlook.
Can I use Stash from a Linux computer?
Not yet. We are investigating adding support for Linux, but we currently do not provide an option for Linux systems.
Does Mozy Stash provide me with the same protection against data loss that I have come to expect from Mozy online backup?
Yes. Stash uses the same online storage systems as Mozy online backup. That means that you can restore previous versions and deleted files through the Mozy website, as well as access your files from Mozy's mobile app.
What happens when I uninstall the Stash software from my computer?
When you uninstall the Stash software from your computer, the local Stash folder (and all of its contents) will remain on your computer. However, your computer will no longer stay up to date with your Stash online. Your computer will not receive changes posted to your Stash, nor will it send changes made to the local Stash folder.
Ted Haeger
Mozy Product Management
