This page describes two important settings in BuddyBackup: Backup Safety, and Backup Space.

Backup Safety
Backup Space

Backup Safety

BuddyBackup usually makes several copies of your backups. This is the Backup Safety setting.

This means that your backups are safe even if one buddy has a computer failure. It also means that you need fewer buddies online when restoring files.

Each extra copy uses up more of your backup space. This also means it takes longer to back up your files. Having two copies uses double the space, having three copies uses triple etc.

Your backup copies might be spread amongst your buddies, depending on who is online when BuddyBackup is running. For example, you might have 5 buddies and have 3 backup copies spread amongst them.

It is recommended that you keep at least 2 backup copies (this is the default).

USB drives are included in this count. So, a backup copy of a file saved onto a USB would count towards the Backup Safety setting.

To set Backup Safety: Safety:

1. Open the BuddyBackup control panel (see here)
2. Click Tools, Options
3. Click Backups
4. Click Backup Safety
5. Adjust the slider
6. Press OK

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Backup Space

BuddyBackup allows you to backup unlimited amounts of data (assuming there is enough space on your buddies).

However, you may still need to set the Backup Space. This is a value of how much data you want for backups onto your buddies, but also sets how much data your buddies can backup to you.

For example, if you have set the backup allowance to 10 GB (the default) then:

• You can backup up to 10GB of backups in total across all your buddies
• Your buddies can backup a total of 10 GB to you

Note these figures are totals and not per-buddy figures. For example, if one buddy has backed up 8 GB to you, then there is only 2 GB of backup space remaining to all the other buddies.

The actual size of your backups depends on a number of factors including the Backup Safety setting as well as how much the files can be compressed.

If you reduce the value below what you already have backed up it will not remove any backups. It just means you will have run out of space and won't be able to backup anything new. Similarly, it won't remove buddies backups if you reduce this below what your buddies have already backed up to you.

USB drives are not included in this allowance. You can backup as much as you want to a USB drive (as long as the drive itself has space) without affecting the Backup Space allowance.

To change backup space:

1. Open the BuddyBackup control panel (see here)
2. Click Tools, Options
3. Click Backups
4. Click Backup Space
5. Press the up and down arrows to adjust backup space
6. Press OK

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