Backup4all can help you preserve the integrity of important data by creating backup copies. In spite of the fact that the program is very powerful, it is also relatively easy to use. Yet, it requires the user to know what to do, such as in the case of making decisions related to the kind of backups to perform.
Much of the tool’s simplicity comes from the possibility of using a wizard to create backup jobs. Thus, it can guide you all the way through the steps of deciding what to back up, where to store the copy and when to do it. However, expert users have the option of turning to advanced mode.
The program supports saving the resulting backup data to various types of locations, including local folders, the network, an FTP site, a disc and even several on-the-cloud storage services. In this respect, one outstanding feature is that you can use multiple destinations at the same time for extra security. Although you can make a manual selection of the contents to back up, this process is greatly simplified if you use one of the available plugins. Fortunately, there are plugins for many purposes, like saving Microsoft Outlook mailboxes and exporting Mozilla Firefox profiles. In addition, there are predefined filters that let you copy specific file types only.
The hardest part of configuring a job is probably deciding what type of backup you want to perform. Luckily, the tool supports smart, incremental, differential, full and mirror types. Special mention is deserved by the smart backup type, which combines other types to adapt to specific conditions, such as the available storage space in the destination. Additionally, you can set the program to carry out a block backup, which saves a lot of time as it does not back up the whole file but only specific parts.
A critical issue related to backups is data security. Luckily, Backup4all lets you encrypt the resulting files and protect them with passwords. Good news is that you do not need to worry about remembering to run backups, because the whole process can be automated by scheduling specific times or frequency. Additionally, you can set the program to send notifications directly to your email box.
To sum up, Backup4all is widely recognized as one of the best backup solutions available, which, in my opinion, is a well-deserved reputation. The program is sold in four different editions (Lite, Standard, Professional and Portable) and, fortunately, all of them are free to try without restrictions for 30 days. You should also know that the same developer offers a free product called FBackup, which has a limited number of features.
v5.2.685 [Nov 19, 2014]
Changes in Backup4all 5.2.643 (24-November-2014)
New: Interface is now available in German
New versions can now be installed automatically
New: Added "Jobs with warnings" filter in the Navigation pane
New: Scheduled jobs now show an extra-icon in the main job layout view
New: "Last Run Result" column added on the Scheduler view
New: Added new tag for "Scheduled jobs"
New: Jobs and tags are sorted alphabetically by default
New: In Card and List view mode you can do multiple selections using the keyboard
New: Added keyboard shortcuts for Jobs/History/Scheduler buttons in the Navigation pane
Update: Notifications window completely redesigned (new actions, redesigned icons)
Update: Total Backup time is now included in the log
Update: "Alternate zipping mode" is enabled by default for network backups
Update: Layout actions were renamed
Update: Renamed customize filter caption
Update: All notification messages can be configured to display collapsed or expanded
Update: Disconnected mapped network drives will be re-connected during backup/restore
Update: Modified displayed text for smart backup type
Update: Show number of jobs in status bar
Update: Modified text for customizing ribbon and password options
Fix: "List index out of bounds" when dragging filter checkboxes
Fix: "Remove excluded and deleted files" error when disconnecting mapped network drives
Fix: FROM field for emails will only show the name
Fix: Type of source is included in the log file
Fix: Minor display fixes for radio buttons and tray icon
Fix: Installer text corrections
Fix: "Try Again" after cancelling an installation didn't work
