Review: BackupNOW Deluxe 3

NTI BackupNOW Deluxe 3

Pros

• Very simple interface makes it appealing to novice users.

Cons

• Constantly reported that file compare errors existed after every backup job spanning multiple DVDs. After digging further, I discovered that this was a 100% reproducible failure on any file that spanned between discs. Interestingly, I have seen this same bug in another backup program.
• Reliance on archive bit make this software very limited as multiple backup sessions will interfere with each other.
• Backup options are extremely limited. Only useful for the most basic of backup jobs.
• Password protection is nearly useless. Uncompressed backup files are stored in plain-text even when protected by a password! Don't make the mistake in thinking that data is encrypted. The "protected" backup file simply stores a 256-bit hash of your password in the archive file and marks the entries as requiring a password. A simple flipping of bits in the backup data allowed me to recover all of the data without a password!
• No FTP. Can only access mounted drives or removable media.
• Proprietary compression & archive format, so you are very reliant on the software to work if you plan on compressing or password-"protecting" your files.

Summary

I cannot recommend BackupNOW Deluxe 3 because of the bugs I encountered and extremely limited functionality. Version 4 (deluxe suite) has added a much better user interface, in addition to the following features: FTP upload, real encryption and a bootable emergency recovery disc (good). But at $69, it is priced quite high compared to other similar, more flexible products on the market.