What to look for in backup software solutions, how to choose the best.
Computers are becoming more and more ingrained in our lives, and over time, we are amassing a lot of important data that we simply cannot afford to lose. In business settings this means invoices, payroll, client proposals and much more. At home we have irreplaceable family photos and vast media libraries. Even with all of the modern technology at our fingertips these days, the unfortunate fact remains that hardware fails and data can be lost.
Many people turn to cloud storage solutions and manual backups for optical and flash media to store their important documents and files. This method can be fine but it can become a nuisance to do regularly, and important files can easily be overlooked. Regular, automated backups are by far the best way to go for ultimate peace of mind.
What to look for in backup software solutions
Automation - One of the key features of any software backup solution is the ability to schedule your backups. In a business setting, you might perform a complete backup of important files every night or perhaps even twice a day. At home, you might just schedule a weekly backup, or in some situations, have a backup start automatically when files are added to a certain folder. This is a particularly useful in when photos are added.
Versatility - Each person has different needs. Some people will want to make a full backup of a system drive, while others will just want to backup individual files and folders. Good backup software will work in the way that the individual wants to use it and will adapt when an individual's needs change over time.
Compatibility - There are so many different operating systems and hardware options on the market today that compatibility with a wide range of products is a necessity for any kind of software. Good backup software will be compatible with both Mac OS and Windows, and allow backups to be made to any storage media a user may choose.
Compression - As the amount of data we are storing increases so will the need for backup space. The best backup software solutions will allow data to be compressed for backup. Increasing backup storage every time you increase the storage of your main workstations is impractical and expensive.
Security - Where sensitive data is concerned, encryption is a vital component of backup software. Some options will offer simple password protection while others will offer stricter security options. Even if you don't think you need this security, it's still worth having just in case.
Choosing the best backup software
There is such a vast number of backup software options available that it is very difficult to pinpoint the best. Acronis, Symantec, Paragon and many other companies offer very good solutions with varying costs and feature sets. The best thing you can do is to decide on a budget, and decide exactly what you need from backup software for your own uses. You might find that you only need cheap, basic software. Whatever you go for, there will come a time when you are very glad to have a backup system in place.
Computers are becoming more and more ingrained in our lives, and over time, we are amassing a lot of important data that we simply cannot afford to lose. In business settings this means invoices, payroll, client proposals and much more. At home we have irreplaceable family photos and vast media libraries. Even with all of the modern technology at our fingertips these days, the unfortunate fact remains that hardware fails and data can be lost.
Many people turn to cloud storage solutions and manual backups for optical and flash media to store their important documents and files. This method can be fine but it can become a nuisance to do regularly, and important files can easily be overlooked. Regular, automated backups are by far the best way to go for ultimate peace of mind.
What to look for in backup software solutions
Automation - One of the key features of any software backup solution is the ability to schedule your backups. In a business setting, you might perform a complete backup of important files every night or perhaps even twice a day. At home, you might just schedule a weekly backup, or in some situations, have a backup start automatically when files are added to a certain folder. This is a particularly useful in when photos are added.
Versatility - Each person has different needs. Some people will want to make a full backup of a system drive, while others will just want to backup individual files and folders. Good backup software will work in the way that the individual wants to use it and will adapt when an individual's needs change over time.
Compatibility - There are so many different operating systems and hardware options on the market today that compatibility with a wide range of products is a necessity for any kind of software. Good backup software will be compatible with both Mac OS and Windows, and allow backups to be made to any storage media a user may choose.
Compression - As the amount of data we are storing increases so will the need for backup space. The best backup software solutions will allow data to be compressed for backup. Increasing backup storage every time you increase the storage of your main workstations is impractical and expensive.
Security - Where sensitive data is concerned, encryption is a vital component of backup software. Some options will offer simple password protection while others will offer stricter security options. Even if you don't think you need this security, it's still worth having just in case.
Choosing the best backup software
There is such a vast number of backup software options available that it is very difficult to pinpoint the best. Acronis, Symantec, Paragon and many other companies offer very good solutions with varying costs and feature sets. The best thing you can do is to decide on a budget, and decide exactly what you need from backup software for your own uses. You might find that you only need cheap, basic software. Whatever you go for, there will come a time when you are very glad to have a backup system in place.
