Mozy

Now developed by backup software specialist EMC, Mozy makes up for a fiddly interface with a wealth of options and a strong feature set. First, it pre-selects files to back up by file type, covering standard types such as photos, images, spreadsheets databases and word processor documents.

You can then use a standard Explorer tree view to check and uncheck folders for backup. Not only can you schedule backups, you can also set a throttle on how much bandwidth Mozy consumes and even on when that throttle should operate (usually during working hours). The client also lets you test your connection speed before it starts the initial operation.

Mozy doesn't do continuous backup as such; it simply copies over changed files - and only the bits of data that have altered - roughly every two hours. A history log covers in detail what has been backed up and when, and also logs any restores. Multiple versions of files can be stored or restored, dating back a month or more, and you can browse files in your online store through a shortcut in My Computer. Data is encrypted by 128-bit SSL during transfer and 448-bit Blowfish for storage. Files of UK users are now stored at a Dublin datacenter.

The Mozy Home service provides 2GB of storage for nothing, while the paid-for Mozy Pro service adds support for Windows Server 2000 and 2003, SQL, Exchange and file server backups, plus 24/7 phone support and admin tools to manage backups across multiple systems (at a fixed cost per system). That makes it a good choice for more expert cheapskates or the IT departments of small or medium enterprises.

Author: Stuart Andrews