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Requirements
- PC running Windows XP
- Broadband Connection
- Space for Buddies Data
LATEST NEWS
26th August 2008
Databarracks make Buddybackup free to all users
Today Databarracks announced that it is offering refunds to all ...
8th August 2008
Buddybackup Forums Re-launched
Buddybackup has been migrated onto new web and delivery ...
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Introduction
BuddyBackup is a piece of software which helps you backup your important files over the internet onto your friends, family and colleagues' computers (your "backup buddies").
The software makes sure that multiple backup copies of your latest files are stored safely with these people. All the files are encrypted so no-one apart from you can read them again.
Then, if a disaster occurs recovering your files again from your buddies is simple: BuddyBackup will connect to them and automatically get your files back.
Setting up BuddyBackup is very simple - you just specify which directories on your computer you want BuddyBackup to watch, and who to backup to. After that, whenever you save a new file, or edit an old one in the watched directories, the software will automatically make a copy of it.
The files are stored in a special compressed way so that only the changes in documents are stored, which helps to minimise both the amount of internet traffic and hard drive space that is used. For example, if you edit a Word document and add a new page of text, only the new pages are sent over the internet.
You can add new backup buddies as easily as you add new contacts in your e-mail program. All you require is your buddies' e-mail address or BuddyBackup username.
Another useful feature of BuddyBackup is that you can go back to any old version of a file. For example, if you are working on a document and you realise that you would like to use a paragraph that you deleted several days ago, you can get BuddyBackup to open up the copy of that file from several days ago.
In the event of disaster, you can recover your files from any computer connected to the internet.
How it works
The following diagram gives a brief overview of how BuddyBackup works:
When you save changes to a file being watched by BuddyBackup the software makes a copy of the file and stores it on your PC. This is stored in a special format which means only the changes since the last edit are saved, so very little space is used up.
BuddyBackup will then try to backup these special copies onto your buddies over the internet. The files are sent in an encrypted form which means that only you will be able to read them. If none of your buddies are able to receive the files at that time, then the software will simply try again later.
All of this is done in the background - you should hardly notice any difference to the performance of your PC.
In the event of disaster, such as your computer failing, you just need to run BuddyBackup on a friend's computer. When it spots your buddies online, it will realise that some of its data has been lost and will automatically recover the lost files. From these recovered files, you can get any old revision of any of your files BuddyBackup was watching.
