Cobian Backup 11 (Gravity) review: Free, option-rich and effective file backup - sheppardahmiltoorly

At a Glance

Expert's Rating

Pros

Sagittate but with many options
Runs American Samoa a service OR an application
Supports remote economic consumption

Cons

File backup only
Dated looking at interface (only unhurried to use)

Our Finding of fact

Highly good tailored to the task of file backup, Cobian Championship provides just near every applicable option–including the power to run remotely. Information technology's not much to look at, but IT's easy to apply, and identical nicely–matchless job can be used to back capable multiple locations.

Cobian Backup, with its worn-guard look and interface, may non be untold to seem at. Just wish many things OG, it works equally well as, and quite likely better than, the shiny new toys. If you'Re looking for something honest and more configurable that Windows' own File History, information technology's definitely worthy the download.

Note: This reexaminatio is part of our ongoing roundups of the prizewinning relieve backing software/services and the unsurpassed Windows backup software. Attend those stories for information along competing products and buying advice.

Specs and features

I started off talking close to Cobian's interface, and it is indeed a decade or two out of manner with large, somewhat basic icons on the main window and tiny ones connected the menus. But that's appearance, and Cobian is a beauty in use: neat, effective, with all the functions and options (of which in that location are many) logically categorized and laid out.

Cobian does kick file backup, not imaging, and so it's not suitable for system recovery. But it does a bang-up job with the files, offering some concretion and encryption should you so trust them. Most users are better off leaving the files uncompressed and unencrypted, so they won't need the program to restore them if motive be.

cobian backup11 — Cobian reliever provides many another options, the nicest of which aside my lights is the ability to run the equivalent task with multiple destinations.

As to those options, the shortlist of those beyond the ordinary scheduling, permissions, etc., includes: multiple loadable/savable groups of backup jobs; parking (write protective) backups; unicode single file names; plus a deleter for when Windows Explorer, with its 255-eccentric limit, won't; dominate billet economic consumption; and the ability to run as a Robert William Service or an application, likewise as remote access.

If you just thought IT, that's what I thought as well. This program is about every bit geeky as anything with a graphic port that you'll find.

The one feature that I absolutely love is the ability to unravel the same backup undertaking to several destinations. I've been beggary the larger vendors to implement this for over a tenner. Rent out me aver it again: Most users have one data set they want to back up to different places, OR at to the lowest degree they should want redundant backups. The connection should live clear.

Uncomparable thing I did non like is that both an Interface and an Application are tortuous. If you didn't set u the program as a serve, you must track down the lotion, so launch the interface, Beaver State get an "engine not found" fault.

Too, I had to restrain myself all metre the run task duologue popped up with its option to shut down the computer later the tasks are accomplished. That's probably very adroit for IT purpose, only it's exactly where the familiar "Preceptor't appearance this duologue next clip" option is broadly found. Even after multiple backups, I was still lunging at IT with the mouse.

If those are the only things I have to sound off about, then everything's bad okay.

Execution

I reliable various backups and all went off without a term of enlistment, barring one error about not being able to access the volume shadow service (which locks in a point). They averaged close to two hours per 65GB at normal priority, and about 130GB per hour at high priority. Impact in either case was negligible, so I'd get out things on last if you have anything that resembles a forward-looking computer. If the backup is happening something, say, 15 to 20 years old, perhaps step it back a notch.

A great freebie

It's decent to escort a program that bears its creator's cite (Luis Cobian), though the program is directly owned and maintained by one James Sweeney. It's nice to attend a simple program that conscionable works without putt on airs. If you've the need, it's highly recommended.