Simple fast backup

Light, versatile and very capable software for professional data replication. Select a pair of folders and it will make sure that one stays an exact copy of the other.
Download
Includes a 2-week trial

What's different

It's Fast

With fully asynchronous IO, ultra fast delta copying and multi-threaded processing the program is expressly built for speed.

It's Robust

From massive data sets with millions of files and terabytes of data to small personal jobs Bvckup 2 easily accommodates replication tasks of all sizes.

It's Refined

The user interface is a first-class feature of the program. Light and eloquent, it is painstakingly designed to keep things simple and convenient.
Made in Switzerland

Features at a glance

Local drives

Local storage devices of all major classes are supported - fixed, removable and emulated.

Their exact type and properties are detected automatically and used to adapt the copying pipeline for maximum performance.

Device tracking

Backups can be pinned to specific removable devices so that they will run only when these devices are present.

They can also be set to run on device arrival.

Network shares

Remote storage devices accessible via the SMB protocol are supported just as well.

This includes anything from home routers with USB sticks to proper NAS devices to enterprise-grade storage filers.

Share monitoring

Shares are automatically connected as soon as they become accessible. Shares going offline are also detected and handled accordingly.

Share credentials can be configured if needed.
Copying

Asynchronous I/O

With its ultra-low-overhead fully parallel data transfer the program can extract every bit of performance from participating devices.

IO throttling

Disk load can be controlled with the help of a fair weighted scheduler, shaping just a single backup or spreading the load across multiple.

Delta copying

Delta copying is a method of updating existing files that skips over any unmodified parts and copies over only blocks that actually change.

It helps dramatically cutting down processing time of very large, but slowly-changing files like VM images, encrypted file containers and even raw photos.

More on this...

Write verification

The program can be set to read back all written file blocks and compare them to the originals to detect any in-flight corruption.

Shadow copying

Files locked for exclusive use by other running programs can be copied using Windows native shadow copying service.

Timestamps, etc.

Timestamps, attributes, security information (Owner, Group, DACL, SACL) and alternate data streams (ADS) can be copied as well if needed.

Abort and error recovery

For file updates that are interrupted part-way through the program will automatically check the file on the next run, recover as much of its data as possible and continue the copying.

That is, file copying is resumable.
Scheduling

Real-time backups

Source location can be monitored continuously and backups executed as soon as any changes are detected.

Serialized or concurrent

Backups can be sorted into scheduling queues to be run one by one, with queues themselves serviced in parallel with each other.

Quiet periods

Backups can be suppressed at specific times to not interfere with other tasks on the machine.

Periodic backups

Backups can also be set to run periodically at fully customizable intervals, and with the first backup potentially set in the future.

On device arrival

The program can run the backups as soon as their source or target device is plugged into the computer.

Manual and simulated

Any backup can be run manually at any time. Simulated "dry" runs are also fully supported.
Scanning

Automatic file system testing

File system volumes are tested to detect their capabilities and effective timestamp resolution.

Knowing the resolution is essential for accurate detection of modified files residing on different file system volumes.

File index caching

Once the file index is compiled, it can be saved and reused on subsequent runs, eliminating the need for re-scanning the backup.

Reparse points and symlinks

Flexible policies to control the traversal of symlinks and reparse points.

Fast parallel scanning

When building a list of files at a location, the program processes multiple folders at once.

This makes for a little miracle when scanning ultra fast local drives and remote shares over slow networks.

Long paths

All file system operations are carried out using long path notation, which supports paths of up to 32,767 characters in length.

File and folder filtering

Comprehensive support for defining file sets based on inclusion and exclusion rules.
Planning

Logical and predictable

Every backup run comprises three distinct phases - scanning, planning and execution.

No action is taken until the program has a complete list of everything it plans to do.

Move/rename detection

The backup planner can recognize less obvious changes, such as renames and moves, for what they are and replicate them accordingly.

Archiving of deleted items

Backup copies of items that are deleted at source can be moved to a special folder and deleted from there after a grace period.

They can also be retained there indefinitely.

Archiving of modified files

Backup copies of files modified at source can be archived as well, creating a history of past file versions.
* Similar to the Safety Net feature of the Carbon Copy Cloner
Management

System service mode

The program can be switched to run as a system service so that the backups would continue running even if no one is logged in.

Command-line control

Backups can be controlled and their status queried through the command line.

Comprehensive logging

Detailed logs are maintained for all backups and the program itself, including full support for both size and age-based log rotation.

Email reports and alerts

Email alerts can be dispatched upon backup's completion, including the run summary, logs or just a list of errors.

Pre/post-backup scripting

Custom commands of arbitrary nature can be executed before and after each backup run.

Software updates

Built-in mechanism for checking and optionally installing updates, including "stable", "newest" and custom channels for managed site installs.

Safeguards

Backups can be set to abort on any changes to a "canary" file or when the amount of changes exceeds specified thresholds.
Meta

Rigorously engineered

Bvckup 2 is written in a way and to the standards typically employed in development of low-level, embedded and system software.

It puts strong emphasis on using simple clean code, keeping resource usage in check and running as close to the hardware as possible.

Robust and mature

Since its first release back in 2014 the program has been in a routine production use handling all kinds of jobs for thousands of our clients from more than 80 countries around the world.

Minimal dependencies

Bvckup 2 ships as single executable with no dependencies on any external frameworks, third party components or system services (with an exception of shadow copying).

It can also run without full Admin privileges, though, of course, it can do more with them.

Compact configuration

All program settings are stored in plaintext INI files in a single configuration folder that can be easily relocated if required.

User interface

Main window

The backups

Each servicing a pair of
source and destination
directories

The log

Details of all backup activity.
More on this below.

The controls

Two buttons to start, stop,
pause, resume, enable and
disable the backups.

When idle...

Description

Status

Last run

Backup statistics

When running...

Description

Current step

Overall progress

Step progress

To re-arrange the jobs -
just click and drag
Dark mode supported
Backup configuration
Summary view
Summary view
First things first

Principal options

Quickly adjustable with
a couple of clicks
More options

Secondary options

All on a single page
for a fast overview
Connoisseur's delight

The rabbit hole

Over 80 advanced options covering all other elements of backup configuration
Exclusions & inclusions

Point-and-click filtering

Fast and intuitive

Manual wildcard filters

Pre-populated with
common exceptions
Exclusions & inclusions

Easily extended

with custom rules
Email alerts

Templated alert messages

With over 80 variables covering all aspects of the program and backup state, configuration and operating environment.
Drives & shares

Network share access

Includes credentials and connection preferences

Device tracking

Allows pinning backups to
a specific storage device
Ejection & throttling

Device and media ejection

Allows disconnecting external
drives and ejecting removable
media after a backup

IO throttling

Limits the read/write speed of
one or more backups using fair
weighted queueing
Log viewer

Hierarchical logs

Quick summary for
an at-a-glance inspection ...

Hierarchical logs

Quick summary for at-a-glance inspection ...

Hierarchical logs

... with all the details a click
away when you need them.

Errors

Errors are shown automatically by expanding preceding parent entries.

Troubleshooting

Error details are logged as well. In many cases a human-friendly explanation is also included.

Up and down

Hovering mouse cursor over an error line reveals a pair of arrows for quickly scrolling through all errors in the log.

Just the good bits

Alternatively, the errors-only view can quickly surface all errors in a simple and concise way.

We treat the user interface as a feature in its own right

Clean and expressive. A pleasure to use. How the UI looks and feels is just as important as how it functions.

Our development blog covers several years worth of screenshots, sketches and experiments. Some made it into production, others - didn't, but they all were instrumental to shaping Bvckup 2 into what it is today. Check it out here...

What people say

The pedal-to-the-metal mindset of a command-line tool with a beautifully functional graphical user interface. Erez Zukerman, PCWorld.com
One of the most usable backup tools ever. Not hiding what software does, but instead, showing the backup process in a way that makes sense. Anonymously, via in-app feedback
This is one of the best designed utilities I've used in nearly 30 years of being an IT professional. Simple, intuitive, powerful and just works every time. Well done, and thanks! Mark G., via in-app feedback
Amazing attention to detail and simply wonderful to use. One of the best windows apps I have ever used. Period. Mike B., via in-app feedback
Holy sh#t... just tried bvckup2 on the same directory. Went from 13 mins 29 secs to 1 min 9 secs to move the same data! Courtesy of /r/sysadmin

Give it a try

Download Release 82  /  3.31 MB
Includes 2 weeks of evaluation period
Requires Vista / WS 2008 or newer

Looking for the last beta?

Get it licensed

Purchase
Windows Server license
Windows desktop license

149.99 USD
49.99 USD

See the feature matrix

News and updates

Every once in a while we send out a short newsletter that covers new releases, planned features and related matters. We also use it to solicit opinions on new ideas and to recruit beta testers.


For more frequent development updates consider subscribing to the RSS feed of our development blog. All updates are also cross-posted to our Twitter account and bvckup2 sub on Reddit.

Questions?

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Made by IO Bureau in Switzerland
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