There are many backup and recovery system products on the market, but finding the one solution that meets all your needs can sometimes be difficult. Acronis Backup and Security 2010 is one of the most interesting players in this increasingly crowded field, combining a full security suite with malware and virus protection with a comprehensive backup and restore utility.

This combination approach helps keep computer users safe by protecting their systems from spyware and malware threats, while providing the ultimate protection of a full system restore in the event that front line security fails. The Acronis Backup and Security 2010 product includes three licenses, as well as 5GB of secure online storage. The Acronis system starts with a very comprehensive backup product and builds a security suite into the mix.

Powerful Backup Utility

The Acronis system does provide a very powerful, and very comprehensive, backup utility. This backup utility is easy to use, and choosing which files to back up is a very simple process. Even technophobes will find the Acronis system very user friendly and easy to use.

The installation speed is impressive as well, with a typical installation taking about 15 minutes on a relatively fast machine. Once the system is in place it is easy for computer owners to schedule their regular backups, check the status of past backups and recover any lost files from the easy to use online backup service.

Possible Problems

While the installation process is fast and easy on a clean system, computer users might run into snags if the systems they own contain a lot of preexisting spyware, viruses and other malware. It is probably best to run a quality spyware and anti-virus utility before attempting the installation. While Acronis claims that the security suite part of the backup product will automatically clean up spyware and virus infections, that is not necessarily the case.

One Click Backup

One of the most impressive features of the Acronis Backup and Security 2010 product is the ease of the backup process. While most computer owners know how important it is to back up their data on a regular basis, few take the time to actually back up their systems. The simplicity of the Acronis interface should eliminate this problem for even the most unsophisticated computer owners.

The One Click Backup tool automatically backups all system partitions to the proper destination, and the system automatically chooses the destination it feels is the most appropriate. This automatic approach eliminates confusion and guesswork on the part of computer users, while making the restoration process much easier. Since Acronis automatically finds the most appropriate backup location, users do not have to remember where they saved the files from their hard drive in the event of a crash. When a recovery is needed, all the user needs to do is start the process, and Acronis will automatically find the backup and recover the files.

Good Control

Users have a great deal of control over the frequency of the backups as well. Users can schedule the backups to run daily, weekly or monthly. Advanced users can also override the automatic backup destination Acronis selects and choose a network drive or external backup device instead. This level of control will appeal to more sophisticated users, while the simple interface and automatic backups will appeal to the less tech-savvy in the audience.

Rudimentary Security

One area where the Acronis Backup and Security 2010 product fails is in the security suite arena. While having the security suite built into the backup product is a good idea in theory, the security product included with the package is definitely not best in class. While it does provide some protection, it is still a good idea for users to install another type of spyware and malware detection tool, rather than relying entirely on the protection Acronis provides.

John Tucker is the founder of OnlineBackupDeals.com and offers reviews, information and tutorials on how to use online backup services.

Visit: http://www.onlinebackupdeals.com/ for more information.