What the Best Backup and Recovery Software Programs Have in Common

When valuable data is at stake, backing up your computer is critical. And with more and more people using their computers for important financial and personal transactions, it's increasingly vital to make sure that personal information is secure.

But when it comes to computer backup, many people are still in the dark as to which types of programs are easy to use and offer them the best bang for their buck. So just what do the best backup recover software programs have in common?

 

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    1. Cost. In general, for the best backup software you can expect to pay more or less the same amount. For a basic package, the general starting price is around $50USD. Free backup software does exist, but it's not going to offer you the same level of functionality and ease of use as those you have to pay for.

       

    2. Ease of use. A good quality backup and recovery program will include wizards that will help walk you through the process of selecting what data should be backup up and when. They will also allow you schedule regular, automated backups and compress your data to maximize storage.

       

    3. Security. In order to ensure your computer data is secure, it's important that your backup software use encryption.

       

    4. External backup. Backing up to your hard drive is not enough. In order to ensure your data is safe in the case of disaster, your program should back up to a hard disk or CD/DVD. It should also have a disaster-recovery function, which would restore your system to a healthy state should it crash or otherwise lose your information.

       

These features should be standard on any backup software you purchase. There are also other features that are nice to have, although they are not necessary for everyone. These include:

 

  • The ability to backup open files. In other words, when your computer is performing its scheduled backup, it will also backup any open files so that they can be restored to the state they were in at the time of the backup.

     

  • Native backup support. This feature allows you to search through your backed up data using Windows Explorer, rather than the original software, making browsing much more convenient and easy. Currently, only the Genie program offers this feature. Others also do, but only if you backup your entire hard drive.

 

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You can protect your computer from viruses without expensive software. Instead, follow these simple tips:

Stay up-to-date on all system updates.

Don't download any email attachments you weren't expecting.

Avoid freeware and peer-to-peer sharing sites.

Use alternative web browsers and email software.