Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to Web-Services-based data backup and data-archiving applications that provide remote data backup and data archiving to private individuals, small businesses, and other organizations that need reliable, secure, geographically remote, and cost-effective data backup, data archiving, and backed-up and archived-data retrieval. In one embodiment of the present invention, a private or small-business client contracts with a service provider for data-backup and data-archiving services. The service provider, in turn, contracts with a remote data-storage facility to provide secure, reliable data backup and data archiving to the personal or small-business client. A client-side application is downloaded to the client computer and configured to allow the client to store locally encrypted data at the remote, data-storage facilities. Neither the service provider nor the data-storage facility can decrypt or otherwise access the information stored by the client.