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ABSPlus

ABSPlus is probably better know in the backup and recovery market and so it will be little surprise that what we are now looking at is exactly that - and more. It is an ideal storage unit to regularly back up all laptop data. With the software supplied the device becomes the complete backup and restore, disaster recovery solution.

Slightly larger in design, but weighing in at a mere seven ounces and measuring 13cm x 7.5cm x 3cm, this is a pocket sized device that's truly portable. What's more, the unit comes in three flavors: USB, FireWire and PCMCIA interface. The models cover most Windows and Mac operating systems. Installing the USB model is quick and easy: plug it in and the USB device icon appears on screen and the driver is automatically installed. With 20-80GB of data space, this is a large capacity portable storage device that, when used with the APSPlus software can also be password protected.

As a plug-and-play storage device, there is no password protection (available only in the PCMCIA version) and therefore our advice is to apply a proprietary security application to encrypt sensitive information. To take full advantage of the backup and restore facility, the initial backup may take some time, so it's wise to install it when you are not too busy. We tried ours out on a test machine with few files and folders so an estimated time on our part would be unfair. According to the documentation, when using the USB model the process is almost half the speed of the PCMCIA and at least six times slower than the FireWire model,

so when choosing be aware of the difference in their performance.

With ABSBackup, which files and folders are to be backed up can be specified and certain directories can even be left out of a backup plan. Other features include the ABS Reminder, which can be set to a chosen interval, letting the user know how long it has been since their last action. There is also a QuickRestore icon, which allows files and folders to be restored should things go wrong, and an ABS Launcher, which instigates an automatic backup on power up. Delivered complete with USB cable and software, the accompanying Quick Start Guide is needed for a fast and accurate disaster recovery and when used in a networking environment setup allows for administrative log-on too. In all, a nice solution.

Product title
ABSPlus
Product info
Name: ABSPlus (Mobile Security group test) Description: Price: $299
Strength
Well designed and presented piece of hardware, software a tried-and-tested formula.
Weakness
As a simple storage device we found no option to secure, so an additional proprietary software application may be required.
Verdict
Overall a nice solution for backup and restore, with regular reminders or automatic backup facilities on offer.

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