Backup Platinum 3.0 Review

Backup Platinum is a great tool when it comes to creating backups of your important data. It organizes the backup processes in items which are generated by a smart Wizard trough which you are conducted via a user-friendly interface. With Backup Platinum you can create backups of the following things:

Local files or folders

Registry keys

MS Outlook Files

Outlook Express Files

My Documents

Explorer Favorites

Explorer History

Windows Address Book

MSN Files

ICQ Files

Modem and Windows settings

Let’s say we want to create a backup of a local folder. After we selected the desired folder we have the opportunity of choosing through a powerful yet dinamic filter which files will be processed and/or which ones will be ignored. Also the filter allows you to skip read-only, hidden or system files as well as empty folders. An important filter option is the possibility of skipping files created or modified before or after a certain date.

Another great thing about Backup Platinum is that it offers you the chance of storing your backup on a FTP server, CD/DVD media or locally on your HDD or why not on the local area network. In case if you want to burn the backup on a CD/DVD this neat tool provides you with the necessary options like: volume label, burn speed and even the options of erasing the disc or close the disc session. Everything has been taken care of so if for some reason one of the storage options is unavailable you cat set your alternative destinations so that your backup process does happen no matter what.

Of course you can choose from a list of storage options:

Store each file as is

ZIP each file

Encrypt each file with blowfish

ZIP and encrypt each file

Put all files into a single ZIP archive

Put all files into a single encrypted ZIP archive

Further more you can select the compression quality, the ZIP archive name or choose to split your volumes.

Finally you can choose to create a scheduled backup based on repetitions that take place when you want.

If somehow you forgot to set up something or just made an error you don’t need to go through all the process again. All you need to do is to right click on the item and access it’s properties from where you can correct anything you want. You will see a new tab called “Advanced” which is
more than of great use ! There you can select further characteristics of your backup such as setting your backup type to an incremental one with the possibility of deleting the old files. Also security measures can be taken: check to see if the file is not being used by another program, safe overwriting and CRC verifications.

Another new tab shown in the item properties is the “Actions” tab that lets you define the execution of certain programs before and after running the backup process. Also in this tab
we can find the option of sending an e-mail notification which helps you make sure everything went smoothly.

The synchronization function provided completes the package. Again you can select two folders: the source and the destination. Then you can choose to swap them or select from which one files
will be copied to the other directory. The synchronization function supports FTP transfer and filtering mode applied to folders and/or files only as well as scheduled synchronizations.

Backup Platinum can run in service mode with almost no user interference (this great option might be of use for the network administrators if they want to create backups in “stealth mode”).
Speaking of interferences, you might want to have a look at the “Automatic Replies” section that allows you to configure the behaviour of the program in certain situations. Also the program has an agent located in your tray just to make sure you have quick access to your backup tasks.

The priority of the thread can also be adjusted to fit your needs. FTP and e-mail notifications settings are more than welcome especially the “Send test message” button which alows you to check your configuration.

Even some interface tuning options for the logs and files are available for the ones crazy about colored grids.

I turned this program upside down and i can tell you it’s really great, however i would like to see in the future versions a module that allows the user to create backups of remote files/folders. That shouldn’t be such a hard thing to do as they already have the FTP engine writing to the server now all they need to do is to get it to read from it.

The best of all is that Backup Platinum requires approximately only 3MB of free disk space !

Oh, i almost forgot. Too bad this program doesn’t run on Windows Vista but i’m sure the next version will.

So if i convinced you that this program is worth the money go ahead and buy it. If you feel like you want to give it a test yourself you can also download it and use it for 30 days of trial.

Below are some pictures just to help you make an idea.