Backup Solutions

Why do I Need Backup Software?

Why not just copy the files you care about onto a blank CD and store it somewhere safe? There's a good chance the irritation factor of doing it repeatedly will result in the user neglecting to do it as often as they should. Good backup software essentially makes the whole process a bit less bothersome than it would be otherwise. How?

List of features you can expect to find in any decent backup software

• Data compression
  Any backup software worth its salt will be able to compress your data so it doesn't take up too much space on the final storage medium. Savings can be significant. Some packages even allow you to alter the compression values. In general, higher compression rates mean the backups take more time to perform so, if compression settings can be altered, you can decide for yourself what your preferred time\compression trade-off is.
• Encryption
  Backup software should allow you to encrypt your data. Some of it could be personal or commercially sensitive. Whether you're backing up to an external storage medium, or elsewhere on the network, when you create copies of your data you multiply the chances of it falling into the wrong hands. Encryption is essential to making it secure.
  It should be capable of performing incremental backups, meaning that only files which have changed are actually backed up. Without this feature, you'd have to manually sort out old and new files or just copy everything every time you did a backup, of course taking up a great deal of time as you did so.
• Scheduling
  Nearly all backup software will allow you to set schedules in advance. That way, backups can be done automatically at a time that's convenient for you.
• File Filtering
  Almost all backup software will come with some kind of file filtering mechanism that makes it easy to include or exclude specific types of files when you do a backup. For example, let's say you want to include every Microsoft Word or RTF file in your C: directory or you want to backup everything on your H: drive except mp3 files. With backup software, it's very easy to do this; without it, you'd have to do a cumbersome search and copy operation every time.
• Handling open files
  If you need to backup files dynamically while they are being used, it can be a problem. Some backup software comes open file agent to get round it.