Systools Hotmail Backup Software works towards downloading cloud data on local storage media such as hard disk drives. The software produces replica for all the email messages present in entire email folders in Outlook.com (formerly known as Hotmail) mailbox. The process starts with providing the credentials including username and password for hotmail user account.
Key Specifications:
Graphical User Interface:
- The developers of the software have kept the GUI very sophisticated, simple as well as easy to understand.
- The self descriptive interface makes the functionality simpler even for the first time users or the people with little or no technical knowhow.
Required Specifications for Installation:
There are some minimum requirements for downloading and installing the tool on machine. These are:
- Required RAM: 1 GB
- Required Hard Drive space: 15 MB
- Processor Info: 2.4 GHz
- Supported Windows: Windows 8.1 and all lower versions
- MS Outlook: 2013 or lower versions (must be installed)
- Internet Connection: Must
Note: MS Outlook (any version) needs to be installed and configured to the account for which backup needs to be created.
Features & Benefits of the Tool:
- Multiple File Formats: The tool meant to download emails from cloud provides output in four file formats:
- PST
- EML
- MSG
- MBOX
The benefit is that these are the popular file formats and can be accessed over multiple applications. PST and MSG enables accessing data in MS Outlook whereas EML and MBOX provides the benefit of accessing emails over variety of email applications on different operating System.
Pause & Resume Backup: There is a provision to pause or resume download when it is in process. The benefit is that if the backup operation interrupts due to any reason such as unreliable internet connectivity or slow speed, the backup process can be paused and when connectivity is retrieved; the procedure can also be resumed.
Email Filters Option: Specified period emails can be downloaded from the existing email folders.
There are several benefits associated with this feature as it enables to download specified period data from cloud to local disk while eliminating unessential components. Further, it helps in saving space on hard disk by storing selected data components.
Delete after Download: This is among the exclusive features as it offers users to delete data from hotmail account after downloading it to the local drive.
The benefit provided by this option is that it helps in saving space on cloud drive and hence the drive can be prepared to store new data.
Generate Live Backup Report: The live download report is generated by the tool while creating backup.
This way, users get to know about the downloaded items and the accurate count of emails that are in process. It helps in getting updated with the volume of time that the procedure will take in completing a particular backup.
Bandwidth Throttling Option: Hotmail Backup software enables user to set the throttling settings as per requirement.
By providing the units of internet bandwidth in Mbps or Kbps, the instructions can be given to the tool for using the specified range. This feature helps in continuing other running operations on machine without any interruption.
Time Settings Feature: The software provides supplementary feature to adjust the time setting for the usage of provided bandwidth.
It helps to continue with the backup operation in the busiest period as the provided bandwidth will be used in the specified period without affecting other processes. By providing the time period in ‘From’ and ‘To’ columns and the ‘Throttling’ percentage; the tool is instructed to use the provided percentage of the given bandwidth during certain period of time.
Support Multiple Languages: While installing the tool; the user can select among the given languages that includes Spanish, German, Japanese, French and Portuguese with English as the default language.
The feature makes the tool more scalable as even non English users can also download it by selecting an appropriate language and can use it with ease.
Maintain Emails Original Status: The original structure of the emails remain intact even after downloading them on machine.
This helps the users in knowing about the ‘Read’ and ‘Unread’ emails; as the status is not changed and is kept unmodified, when the download process is completed.
Improvements Required:
Although, the features and the functionality of SysTools Hotmail Backup Software is impressive and it does deliver accurate outputs but still there is a room for improvement. The tool proficiently backup emails but according to me as a user, I recommend that it must support other components of emails such as contacts, calendars, tasks, etc. As all these components are essential when it comes to business activities; so addition of these features will help in making the tool more scalable in business world.
Overall Analysis:
As a user, taking into consideration all the features of the tool, I found them completely satisfactory; as they provide all essential benefits required to store cloud data on local machine. The functionality and the performance of the tool are quite impressive but it solely depends upon the speed of internet and the volume of data that needs to be downloaded. As a whole, it is a complete solution and a medium that ensures security over cloud data.
