Backblaze 4.0

Backblaze has updated its eponymous backup software to version 4.0 with significant improvements in upload and download speeds. Backblaze 4.0 (which is tied to the subscription-based Backblaze online data backup service) introduces a new threading approach that optimizes bandwidth utilization when network latency is present. Differing from the more typical use of the term threading (where multiple threads of data are contained within a single process), Backblaze uses multiple processes to independently send encrypted blocks of data to the Backblaze data center. (Backblaze admits that they’re “actually creating and using multiple processes” as opposed to true threading; see this blog post for more background on Backblaze threading and how to implement it.)

In addition to improving upload speeds, the Backblaze Downloader app has been given threading capabilities to quicken the pace of downloading recovered files. Backblaze also now allows very large files to be backed up over the course of several months (should you have a slow upload Internet connection); previously, backing up a very large file would have been abandoned after a few days. Alas, the new version still can’t put restored files in their original locations automatically.

The auto-update process for current Backblaze subscribers will begin in the next couple of weeks, but you can get the update now by downloading directly from the Backblaze Web site or performing a Check for Update within the Backblaze software. Version 4.0 of Backblaze now requires Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard or later, though previous versions of Backblaze will continue to run on 10.5 Leopard and will be supported for the foreseeable future. (Free with Backblaze subscription, 9.8 MB, 10.6+)