Duplicati Portable

Regardless of why you're using a computer for, it's always a good idea to create a backup of important files, since there's danger lurking all over the Internet. This can manually be done by periodically copying updated files to a safe path, but it's all easier if done and automated with specialized applications such as Duplicati Portable.

Just like the name suggests, this is the edition of Duplicati you can store on USB Flash drives, which makes for increased flexibility. What's more, system registries are not affected this way so you can rest assured that your computer remains in good shape.

Another advantage is the wizard-driven creation process which encourages both beginners and experts to try out its features. You can easily scroll back and forth through steps in case you forgot to add or check options or simply to review the task before putting it in motion.

Sooner or later you end up in the new backup section. Providing a name and additionally a group to better organize tasks, lets you move forth to setting up backup parameters. By default, Windows document folders are targeted, but you can opt for a manual selection of files. Space is indicated so you know if there are enough MB left on the destination drive.

It's also possible to add an extra layer of security to your projects. This comes in the form of a 256 bit AES encryption algorithm, with the possibility to add a custom password. A neat feature here is the implemented key generator, which combines different characters and you are even prompted with a message to copy the new password to a safe location, since it's randomly generated.

When it comes to picking the destination, the application does a pretty good job at packing several popular cloud services, options for FTP servers or simply to a physical location of your choice. Credentials need to be provided if the situation requires it, while a file based deployment is as easy as selecting a folder or connected removable disks.

Scheduling is also possible, with clever options that allow you to make it recurrent at specific time intervals, as well as whether or not the process to be incremental. Monitoring is done quietly, with a system tray icon holding most functions to manage process status and general options.

Most options can be set as default values for all other tasks you create, which considerably reduces the time needed to add a new task. What's more, this doesn't always apply to destination, but also password protection, scheduler and throttle settings, which refer to system resource allocation. Given the possibility to make the app run at startup, your effort is reduced to a minimum.

All things considered, we can safely state that Duplicati Portable is definitely a reliable application you can use to keep your important files safe. Flexibility reaches its peak thanks to the abundance of destinations, while the possibility to set the majority of options as default values and automate each task make sure your attention is only required in the initial setup and configuration.