By Dale Farris, Reviews Coordinator
Golden Triangle PC Club
April 2008

Backup4all is backup software for Windows. It protects your valuable data from partial or total loss by automating tasks, password protecting and compressing data to save storage space.

Using Backup4all you can easily back up to any local or network drive, backup to FTP, backup to DVD, or other removable media (such as USB HDD or flash drives). Backup4all is the best backup solution for desktop and laptop computers, for your business or personal use.

Backup4all comes in three editions:

Lite
Standard
Professional

Key Features

Better safe than sorry
What happens when your hard disk dies, will your business survive if you can't recover all of your important data? What about all those precious personal photos of your children growing up? Start backing up with Backup4all to avoid such risks.

Save Time
You can easily fully automate the backup process using Backup4all's scheduling features.

Universal
Backup4all creates standard zip files and has its own catalog to keep track of the new and modified files. This makes it compatible with any other backup software or zip utility.

FREE Support
As a Backup4all user you are entitled to FREE customer support even if you are using the trial.

Easy-to-use wizards
Backup4all was designed to be an easy-to-use backup software. It comes with separate wizards for backing up and restoring. All you have to do is follow the wizards' steps and the instructions on screen.

Intuitive, Explorer Style Interface
With the help of the file tree, you can see all files backed up and the new files that will be stored at the next backup execution. You can sort and search this file backup tree. You can start Backup4all at windows startup or minimize it to the system tray.

NEW! Free backup plugins
You can load plugins for backing up or restoring specific programs' settings or other custom data (like game saves, email data, etc.).

Easy File and Folder Selection
You can browse a folder tree to select individual files and folders to be backed up or you can include or exclude them individually.

Email notifications
You can configure this backup software to send custom emails after a data backup finished with success, error, warning notifications. Additional options allow you to attach the backup log file and send the email to several addresses.

Predefined backups
You can easily define a data backup job for My documents, My pictures or backup Outlook Express emails and settings from the predefined backups list.

Version Tracking
Backup4all is a backup software that offers a unique mode to track file versions. You can selectively restore any previous state of the file directly from the main window.

Data backup to DVD and CD
You do not need separate software to burn your backups to DVD or CD, because Backup4all comes with its own built-in CD/DVD burning support. However, if you prefer, you can still use UDF format to burn your CDs/DVDs.

Standard Zip Compression
Backup4all creates standard zip files. This means that you can access your data with any zip compatible utility. You can also secure the backed up data with AES encryption (128, 192, 256-bit).

Highly Configurable
Plenty of backup types to choose from: full backup, differential backup, incremental backup and mirror backup. Built-in scheduler, extra actions to perform before and/or after execution, command line […]

Backup open files
This backup software uses the Volume Shadow Copy service that allows you to back up open files (local) from NTFS partitions in Windows XP/2003 and Windows Vista. For example you can backup Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express emails and settings without closing them.

FTP Backup Software
You can now backup your data to remote locations using FTP connection (with SSL support, active/passive transfer modes, firewall support).

Three Editions

There are three editions available:

Lite
Standard
Professional

Backup4all Lite edition 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
Predefined backups (My Documents, My Pictures, Outlook Express) Backup summary/statistics
Backup plugins - possibility to import plugins as Predefined Backups
Mirror backup - makes an exact copy of selected files and folders

Backup4all Standard edition has all the features of Backup4all Lite plus:
Full backup - starting point for all other backups, and contains all the data in the folders and files that are selected to be backed up
Differential backup - contains all files that have changed since the last full backup
Backup directly to CD and DVD - Backup4all has its own built-in CD/DVD burning support
One Touch Backup - you can configure Backup4all to execute a backup job or a backup group when a button from an USB enclosure is pressed
Sound notification - play custom success/warning/error sounds at the end of the backup
Run action before/after backup
Scheduled backup - easily setup a powerful scheduler using the available scheduler configurations to make unattended backups
Create shortcut for backup job/group
Zip password

Backup4all Professional is the edition that has all the features of Backup4all Standard, plus:
Incremental backup - stores all files that have changed since the last full, differential or incremental backup
Backup to FTP - backup your files to remote locations using the FTP service (with SSL support, active/passive transfer modes, firewall support)
Test FTP backups using XCRC (is supported by server) - this speeds up the testing as Backup4all will verify the backup based on the CRC information received from server
Email notifications - you can configure Backup4all to send custom emails after a finished backup with success, error, warning notifications
Run backup at system shutdown
AES encryption - supports 128-bit, 192-bit and 256-bit AES encryption
Delete sources after successful backup
Delete empty directories after backup

Desktop or Network License?

The only difference between network and desktop licenses is in the number of registration keys received. For example, if you have 100 users in a network environment and decide to purchase network licenses, you will pay for 100 licenses, but you will receive a single registration key valid for all 100 users. On the other hand, if you want to purchase desktop licenses, you will receive 100 distinct registration keys.

On both desktop and network licenses the Backup4all functionality is the same. Network licenses are preferred by medium and large organizations where managing hundreds of registration keys is not an option. Desktop licenses are preferred by home users and small organizations.

An Example of How IT Works

Backup4all's interface is well designed and easy to use for everybody. In order to backup your data, you will use the New Backup Wizard, accessible from the File menu, toolbar button, or using the Ctrl+N keyboard shortcut.

The first step is called General and it will ask you for basic information, such as backup name, group, icon, and description. There are also three predefined backups you can choose from, including My Documents, My Pictures, and Outlook Express.

Next, you have to specify which files and folders are to be included in the backup. This area is entitled Sources. Files or folders that have been added can be excluded easily, using check boxes. The Destination window lets you select where to store the source files. You can choose between a local folder on your hard drive or optical drive, a FTP location, or a computer on your LAN.

In the fourth step of the wizard you have to specify the type of your backup and set different options for the one that you have chosen. Here you can also enable encryption for your backup archives. The strongest encryption supported by Backup4all is AES-256bit method, which is an excellent choice.

The Filters area allows you to include and exclude certain file types in the backup. Files can be filtered based on their names, attributes, sizes and dates. After setting the desired filters, you can use the Customize tab to manually override them.

The next step is a real power house for this program, and its name is Advanced. Some of the options that can be set here are comparison criteria, automatic test, actions before or after the backup, sounds and email notifications. The last one can be extremely useful, especially combined with the Scheduler.

All you have to do in the last step is to carefully set its options and the program will take care of your backups from now on! You have the choice to use the Windows or Backup4all scheduler, but you can also set the program to perform the backup before shutting down Windows. When talking about backup on optical discs, Backup4all can use its internal burning engine or a secondary one that you can specify in the Options window.

One Touch Backup can be enabled by pressing a button on some USB devices that have such a configurable switch. All you have to do is choose the backup job you want to perform from the available ones and you will have this done in a flash!

Backup4all is definitely a must try! Its wide range of features and ease of use make Backup4all one of the best backup applications available. The help file is excellent and the program's price is very reasonable, considering that it is always better to stay safe than be sorry.

Price

$50.00 - Backup4all Lite Desktop
$40.00 - Backup4all Std Desktop
$19.95 - Backup4all Pro Desktop

System Configuration Requirements

400MHz or faster processor
64MB RAM (128MB RAM recommended)
20MB free hard disk space for application files
20MB working space during installation
Windows 2008 Server, Windows Vista (with or without SP1), Windows XP, Windows 2003 Server, Windows 2000 and 2000 Server, Windows Me, NT 4, and 98

Because the application uses zip compression, additional disk space is needed for the temporary directory. The amount of free space depends on the size of files to backup.

Note:
Backup4all can backup open files only if installed on Windows XP, Windows 2003 Server, Windows Vista, or Windows 2008 Server, and if the files are on NTFS partitions. Backup4all works on Windows 98/Me/NT 4.0/2000 also, but this feature will not be available on these systems.

About Softland

Softland is a privately-held software development company founded in 1999. The company provides a complete range of custom software development and consulting services. They offer cost effective, innovative and practical solutions in client/server architecture and Internet solutions.

Softland helps companies find creative ways to use information technology, to increase productivity and competitiveness. The result is lower costs and better management of their operations.

Softland provides complete software development lifecycle services, as well as maintenance for systems after implementation. Their services include project management, software design, quality assurance, software development, documentation and technical support.

Contact

Softland SRL
str. Traian Grozavescu 2/1
400305, Cluj-Napoca
ROMANIA
Phone: 0040-364-401337
FAX: 0040-364-401338
sales@backup4all.com
0040-364-401338
www.backup4all.com