AISBackup has strengths which ought to be standard for PC backup software but, unfortunately, are not, especially for software in this price range.
In particular, it has:
- Excellent response to my questions. They have a forum for users, so you can often find your question already answered. It's a small company that lacks the staff for phone support, but my questions have always been answered within a day by email. (I am in California and the company is in Wales, so I expect we keep very different waking hours.)
- An excellent strategy for logging and maintaining backups and, when the need arises, restoring any particular files or your complete system. Backups are incremental, meaning only files changed since the last backup are copied. However, because of the log file, finding which CD or other media has your most recent copy is quick and painless. You have the option of retaining a log of all backups and archiving the log whenever you wish to start fresh with a new complete backup. Alternatively, specify how many backup sessions you wish to keep. AISBackup will be sure you have at least one current copy of all files you named in your backup script when it retires the oldest session as it creates the most recent one. If you prefer, choose "generation-based" instead of "session-based" so that you will always have a few older versions of changed files in your backups.
- Multiple backup script capabilities. Among other advantages, this enables you to make redundant backup copies very easily. For example, I have a script for backing up my entire system and another just for my personal files. Copies of my personal files are therefore in both places, giving me added security.
- A disaster-recovery file creation tool to get your computer back up and running as quickly as possible after a hard drive crash.
- A scheduling function. This puts entries into the Windows Task Manager, which then handles the actual initiation of the backup. The function includes options to automatically close programs you designate before the backup runs. You can schedule any backup scripts to run up to five times per day this way. If that is not enough, go directly into the Windows Task Manager and add it to the schedule a few more times.
- The ability to limit the backup to recent files only.
Presumably, you have another backup script (or even another program)
that already copied your older files,
and you have no need for yet another copy of files that have not changed.
This is particularly useful
if you want to make quick backups on one media between the times you make more
permanent backups on another, e.g., from one hard drive to another in between backups
to CD or to your server (which has its own backup system).
- Different media type capabilities, including CD, DVD-RAM, Zip, Jaz, and internal or external hard drives.
- Several options for handling the actual data transfer to CD for CD-RW drives: AISBackup's integrated CD writer, third-party packet-writing software or third-party CD mastering software. (Your CD-RW drive probably came with one of the latter two or you may have purchased fancier CD burning software.) Drives can be fickle, as my "old" external drive has demonstrated. Having the choice of how to transfer the data allows you to experiment to find what works best.
- Context-sensitive help ("cue cards"), which by default is displayed to the left of the main window.
- Standard zip file format for compressed backup files. You do not have to use AISBackup to read your backup copies (but it makes it easier to find them).
- No dependence upon the Windows backup flag property of files. Such reliance limits which backup strategies you can use. AISBackup uses a log file instead.
- A software license good for two PC's instead of just one for home users.
(I don't expect software companies to be taking many home users to court, but it is
good to know that you do not have to transfer files from your laptop to the desktop
PC to make legal backups).
There is but one feature I could want that is missing from AISBackup: continuous backup. This function usually works by saving an extra copy of designated files immediately after you save a new version, so you always have an extra copy, not only of your most recent version but also of prior versions. This is very handy when your boss tells you to reinsert that page you deleted two minutes ago into the contract you are typing. Very few backup programs have this, so I do not fault AISBackup. (After all, quite different logic is used for selecting which files to copy, so it doesn't necessarily belong in the same backup program.)
Rather than searching for a program that does everything, supplement with the
very inexpensive backup utility by 12Ghosts, which handles continuous backup well.
(Since I reviewed their product, they have added some changes I had recommended.
Even the old version, used in conjunction with AISBackup, gives you excellent backup options.)
A little thought about possible disasters will suggest why you should keep a
copy of your backups far away from your computer, ideally at another site. Put a
copy in your car and drive it to work or a friend's house, in case the thief who
makes off with your computer takes all your CD's as well or the whole house burns down.
(For those willing to pay the money, there are also Internet services with relevant
software for uploading your backups automatically to their server.)
For backup to happen often enough, it must happen automatically.
AISBackup is an excellent solution for individual PC's. I have not found a better
buy for the money within this category.
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