Data Backup Software and Service

Honestly, GOOD RELIABLE VERSATILE backup software is essential if you wish to keep a full head of hair, so you should consider spending money to get the best product available.

While this is a fundamentally sound program, it is not the greatest available out there. To keep that warm fuzzy feeling firmly in place for when it all goes horribly wrong (and it will…) there is simply no alternative to Acronis’ True Image.

According to my experience with it, What I do know is that it works flawlessly, has tons of options and variables, and has never let me down. I’ve been back up and running on a brand new HD in less than 15 minutes from a system with 20GB plus of OS/apps/soundz/vidz etc. as if nothing ever happened.

Stop offering any chances to your important data to lose. You need a tool to keep them safe and sound. Then Back up your documents and settings easily and securely with Backup Expert and protect yourself against accidental data loss and hardware failures.

Backup Expert replaces a whole lot of separate tools. You’ll never have to hunt searching where your email accounts are stored, you won’t need a separate data compression tool, and you won’t need stand-alone CD/DVD burning software to make your backups.

Features:
Backs up files and data of any type;
Customizes Easily;
Stores anywhere;
Runs on a schedule;
Protects Your Privacy.

Backup4all Lite is an award-winning backup software for Windows, offering an intuitive interface making all features easily accessible.

It implements the basic functionalities of a backup application:

Easy file and folder selection

File filtering - powerful filtering engine with lots of options (filter by attribute, size, date, name and type)

Multiple backup job configurations

Intuitive interface - explorer-like, lets you see all files from the backup and new files that will be stored at the next backup execution

Disk spanning - automated support for splitting your backup between many removable disks or even on the same media

Backup open files (files in use) - uses the Volume Shadow Copy service that allows you to back up local open files from NTFS partitions in Windows XP/2003 Server/Vista

Predefined backups (My Documents, My Pictures, Outlook Express)

Backup statistics

Backup summary

Mirror backup - makes an exact copy of selected files and folders

Some of the most popular backup software are Acronis True Image ($49, Acronis.com), Mozy Remote Backup, NTI Shadow ($29), File Backup Watcher ($40), and Carbonite. Mozy Remote Backup (Mozy.com) lets you store 2GB of data on their servers for free, in exchange for receiving a weekly email ad. The 5GB option is $19 per year, or $40 per year for the 20GB option. They encrypt your files so only you can access and open them with your password. While not a desktop program, in our tests their automated system worked well . NTI Shadow runs in real time and saves copies of files each time you make a change to one - no need to remember when the last time you backed up! However, a lot of people find it difficult to configure and run, so try before you buy. Carbonite Online PC Backup (Carbonite.com) is $50 for 12 months of storage and backup service. Carbonite works through the Windows file explorer, so it is easy to use and navigate, and automatically backs-up only the files you change, making it speedy. File Backup Watcher (DSWSoft.com) can backup to a network, via email, via FTP, and to CD and DVD drives. Backup Plus (Avantrix.com) can be downloaded for free -- it costs $29 to buy the full version after you test it out. It comes with a timed backup manager for scheduling automatic backups and an easy to use Restore Manager for recovering lost files.

Also visit XXCLone, by Pixelab. They make the popular XXCopy file management utility. XXCLone clones a Windows disk (similar to Norton Ghost) and works as a quick daily backup utility. They offer a free limited-function version, a 30-day full function trial version, and a paid version for $40. Check it out.

There are a few points you should keep in mind before purchasing some backup software:

Incremental Backups - you need the program to only backup files that have changed since the last backup -- that could mean copying over only 200 files instead of 200,000

Automated Backup Feature - you should be able to pick a backup time and forget about it, letting the software backup your key files regularly and automatically

Options for backup location - you should be able to backup to specific drives, DVD recorders, or remote servers via FTP

Toll-free support or live chat - lots of people have questions when they first try to backup their computers - free simple support is a big bonus when you are getting started

Restore - you need a good restore function to retrieve your lost files
Hard disk cloning - the backup software should let you make an exact copy of your hard drive, including all OS files, so you can easily upgrade your system to a larger hard drive.