Data Backup Software and Service

Beinsync lets you synchronise your folders on various machines so you're never without your files.

The program has a Windows Explorer type layout and individual folders can be selected for sharing.

After installation you're guided through the process of setting up folder synchronisation; series of popular folders are suggested, such as My Pictures and Internet Favourites.

When you select a folder you must leave the first machine on while you sync. All file transfers are performed using a direct peer to peer method. Data goes through various ports and there shouldn't be any firewall issues. It takes a few seconds to connect and despite a slightly worrying "connected (behind nat)" message on our test machines, which any Bit Torrent user will know means crippled speeds, Beinsync went flat out transferring files as fast as our upload link could manage.

Folders can be shared via an email link, so even if your friends and family don't have a Beinsync account they can access a selection of files. Using this method, the PC where the files are hosted acts as a form of web server; everything is encrypted and browsing the shared files is a simple list or thumbnail affair.

Why You Need a Backup?

The hard disk is the main storage medium in personal computers. Unfortunately, hard disks do sometimes fail, or in computer lingo, crash. When a hard disk crashes, all of your data is in jeopardy. Sometimes information can be retrieved after a crash, but it is usually an aggravating, time-consuming procedure that may end in despair.

To backup your files simply means copying files to a second medium as a precaution in case the first medium fails. The medium used to make the copy can be any of a number of different storage choices including floppy disks, hard disks, Zip disks, CDs, or tapes.

Usually we encourage people to cut calories, sample all the food groups in their proper proportions, eat plenty of fiber, and back up their computer files frequently. Everyone agrees, but how many really follows?

Be proud of yourself if you bother yourself to back up data. Remember, though, if you copy your data to some where else on your hard drive, consider the consequences if your hard drive crashs. If you back up to an external hard drive or to removable media and store them next to your computer, what will happen if there’s a fire or flood?

I am sure that peope would hate themself to lose all the files and e-mails which are not backed up. That's what I experienced and that why I started evaluating free backup utilities that make it easier to copy and store valuable data.

The safest approach is to store file backups on safe media in a secure place other than where you work. One way to do that is to use the Internet. So today we review free Web-hosted backup and file storage services.