Mirra means brainless backup

Finance company plans to replace tape system with Mirra Personal Server

Computer backup is especially tough for small companies that lack IT help. So when Peter Pham discovered a back-up system that automates the process, he jumped at it.

Pham, a partner at the Campbell, Calif., financial planning and asset management company Wealth Design, also serves as the 10-person company’s tech guru.

“When I hear of [something] I think will help our firm,” Pham says, “ I do the research and make the buying decision.” He helped establish the firm’s wireless LAN, and pushed for the networked multifunction high-speed copier, fax and scanner his colleagues now rely on. The firm relies on an IT consultant to handle routine network maintenance. 

When a client told Pham about the Mirra Personal Server in November, he thought it might make a good replacement for the company’s tape back-up system, which requires someone in the office to run the nightly backup and deal with the tapes.

In contrast, the Mirra Personal Server automatically backs up designated files and folders each time they change, saving up to eight versions. Mirra also lets you retrieve files from any Web browser, a feature you won’t find elsewhere. You designate which files you want to access, or share with others, assign a username and password, log on to the Mirra site, and upload the files directly from the Mirra on your network.

Before buying a Mirra for the office, Pham set one up at home to test. He immediately recognized the $400 product would be a good match: “It’s easy to manage and set up, and low cost.”

Because Pham often finishes work at home in the morning before heading to the office, the Mirra’s remote access feature has come in handy more than once, saving him trips back home for forgotten files. Now, if Pham forgets a file, he just logs on to the Mirra site from the office. He’s also given some friends and family access to folders containing digital photographs, knowing they can’t access his business folders unless he grants permission.

Pham especially likes that the remote access is free. “I’ve used GoToMyPC, LapLink, PCanywhere, a lot of remote access packages – and free access carries a lot of value.” With home testing complete, Pham has ordered a Mirra for the office. The Mirra Personal Server is available with 80G bytes for $399 and 120G bytes for $499.