SyncBackPro 11.3.56.0

Overview

Most times people never go through the process of securing the data that is stored in their computers, and when a harmful virus damages their files or when the hard disk needs formatting then the only solution is to possibly recover the lost data by using expensive software or seeking for professional help. This would all be avoided if a backup existed all along. SyncBackPro is the kind of software that you would pick if you wanted to easily make backups of your files without spending much time understanding how it’s used, or having difficulties restoring the backup afterwards. Apart from this main purpose that the program has, it also functions as a synchronization software, meaning that it can synchronize two locations to have the same data, so if changes are made in one location then the same changes will be applied to the other location as well. Both of those basic uses of SyncBackPro are covered with a variety of features that make it a simple yet powerful backup and syncing tool.

Installation

It is very easy to install the software since there is no need for any special settings. When the installation has finished and the program is launched you will be asked if you want to import profiles from SyncBackSE (which is similar to SyncBackPro but has fewer features), provided that you have it installed in your system. The supported operating systems are Windows 2003, XP, Vista, 2008 and 7.

Interface

The interface looks plain at first, but as soon as you start creating profiles and exploring the features of the program you will see that it is quite rich and elegant. It has modern buttons and icons, pop-up balloons with helpful tips and smooth fonts for easier reading. You can hide certain toolbars and columns too if you want to make it look neater.

Pros

A great feature that is included in SyncBackPro is the automatic drive failure detection that can tell if your drive is in a bad state and is about to stop working. This way you know when to make a full backup of it and save all your files. The newer version of the program has improved this feature to make drive failure prediction in more drives, including external drives as well.

When you make a backup copy, you have the option of directly burning it to CD/DVD/BD instead of keeping it to your computer so that it is stored in a secure place. Additionally, you can backup and synchronize your files via could storage services like Google Storage and Amazon S3 so you'll save time from uploading your files to those services separately.

Cons

Nothing to complain about the application itself, but the help area on 2BrightSparks’ website might seem cluttered and shuffled at first. Rest assure though, you'll find there all the help needed by every type of user, ranging from novices to experts. The main areas to keep an eye on are the Tutorials, quite useful for first time users, the Community Forum and the KnowledgeBase.

Alternatives

Firstly, let’s compare the other two products from 2BrightSparks, SyncBackSE and SyncBack Freeware. SyncBack Freeware is a decent tool for a basic backup, but that’s all there is to it. It lacks so many features that SyncBackSE and SyncBackPro have that it almost feels like a completely different program. Moreover, it's not updated so often unlike both SE and Pro which are frequently updated. On the other hand, SyncBackSE can be easily compared to SyncBackPro since they share mostly the same features, with differences appearing only in the most advanced parts such as the support for backup and synchronizing to online storage services or automatic drive failure detection, features that only SyncBackPro has.

An alternative for backing up data is Duplicati, an open-source program that allows you to send those backups in an encrypted form to another computer or MS Live SkyDrive using various methods (WebDAV, FTP, SFTP/SCP/SSH, Amazon S3, Rackspace CloudFiles, USB disk, Windows network share). Beyond Compare is another option for both Windows and Linux operating systems designed to synchronize your files easily and reliably. With it you have the ability to compare and merge files as well.

We did quite a few more reviews on Backup & Restore software so check them out as well.

Conclusion

SyncBackPro is an absolutely reliable software that will help you protect and synchronize your files without problems. The chances of finding a program with so many features are actually slim, so you should try it out without a second thought.