Data Backup Software and Service

I tried out almost anything on the market …

But what I want to clyrify first, is don′t always mix up 2 different aproaches to save your data:
What IS useful for profi environment but as well for those, who often install and try out new software, is the mentioned aproach by an imaging programm (as ther is DriveSnapshot, Acronis, NortonGhost, DriveBackup [and many more...] but as well good freeware as DriveImageXML or the new version of Savepart [and more...]).

This will protect you from the need to set up your complete system on HD-crahes an other bigger problems; you can go back to the formerly saved state of your complete installation!

A good programm should allow to leave out defineable folders and the hyberation file. (I use DriveSnapshot which is really small extremly fast, consists of only 1 file with 240 KB and has ability to run from DOS, too!!!

But Acronis TrueImage is also great and more comfortable for not too experienced users.
(B.t.w, I run Snapshot weekly with option “Differential backup” enabled… and DAILY in professional environments - Images are saved on bootable USB-drives (bootable Floppy, CD … will do as well).)
The 2nd approach is to save your actually produced new data (text documents, databases, settings…). For this it is best to save i permanently in the background - best is a REALLY SAFE place, as external drives, another computer, (or at least another drive; minimum should be another partition…!)

Both aproaches are recommended; For your daily and permanent backup it is sufficent to have todays ofer(or BackToZip and a lot of other free software to doo the job; a zipping feature is recommended for it saves space and fast - but a testing routine for the saved data should be implemented!!!

Backing up your files and folders by dragging and dropping them onto an external hard drive is a less-than-ideal safety plan. For starters, it just backs up your files, not your entire system. Worse, you have to actually remember to do it. Norton Save & Restore 2.0 takes most of the pain out of setting up a backup plan by automating much of the process.

Save & Restore 2.0 breaks down into two toolsets: backup and recovery. Upon installation, a wizard steps you through setting up your initial backup routine. In fact, the only decision you have to make is where you want to back up your data, and Save & Restore will tell you your options. Internal hard drives, as well as USB and FireWire external drives are supported, as are optical drives and (for those of you with a wayback machine) Iomega Zip and Jaz drives. The software can back up your entire drive, or just one file or folder. One option missing, though, is the ability to back up files to an offsite, online storage service.

Two basic kinds of software facilitate the latter approach: specialized backup software and synchronization programs.

(See Wikipedia for a fairly thorough, though slightly geeky, explanation of the entire backup subject.)

For this backup software roundup, I looked for programs with these capabilities (and so should you):
Select files, folders, or entire drives for backup.

Select or exclude files according to file extension masks (for example, *.doc, *.xls, *.dat, etc.). The built-in mask should already know how to find Outlook, Outlook Express, and other common applications’ data files (for instance, *.pst and *.pab).

Support multiple backup "sets" or "profiles".

Either incremental or differential backup or both, in addition to full backup.
Set up an automatic schedule for unattended backups.
Back up the Windows Registry.

Automatically save and close open files so they can be backed up.

Copy files as they are, or archive them using ZIP compression. (Use of this universally accepted file format ensures that you can restore your files even without the backup program that created them.)
Protect backup files using ZIP encryption.

Protect backup files with a stronger encryption method (such as DES, AES, Blowfish, etc.). (Warning: Strong encryption can require the backup program for a restore… and don’t lose that password!)
Copy to CD or DVD, hard drive, flash drive, networked computer, or an FTP site on the Internet (even if not secure).

Keep a log of backup and restore operations, and send email notifications on completion.

Other desirable features include enabling you to specify other programs to run before or after the backup, excluding already-compressed files (such as *.zip, *.jpg, *.mp3, etc.) from compression, and verifying the integrity of backup files. Some also include synchronization functions, and a few can also create disk mirror images.

BeInSync allows you to backup your documents, photos, and music automatically. Once your files are backed up, you can access them from anywhere and share them. You can also "sync" your home and work computers.

The synchronization process works like this: You update a file on your work PC. That file gets backed up online, and then the latest version is downloaded to your home PC. The process works seamlessly, as long as both computers are connected to the internet at the same time.

First, the sign-up. You can choose between Free, Professional, and Business options. The free version allows you to sync 2 computers, share up to 5 folders, and backup up to 1 GB. The professional version lifts the limits to 5 PCs, 10 folders, and 5 GB or more. Then the business version adds in advanced features like a central web console management for networks.

Another brilliant approach is continuous backup software, which constantly monitors changes in designated folders or files and copies them to the backup repository in real time. However, this means corrupted files, viruses attack, and some undesirables are also backed up (versioning mechanisms can help you find the last good copy, though), as well as a slight drain on your computer’s resources. IBM Tivoli Continuous Data Protection for Files (starter edition for individual PCs) is a prime commercial example of this genre.

The most commonly used however, is local backup software. These utilities create differential or incremental backup files of important data, after an initial full backup. This brings quicker, smaller backups and relatively easy restoration of individual data. (Differential backup copies all changes since the last full backup; incremental backup copies all changes since the last incremental backup, so you can end up with many incremental files.) If your entire hard disk is trashed, however, you will have to find and reinstall the operating system and all your software before you restore your original data, and then you’ll have to restore the full backup followed by the last differential backup, or each incremental backup.