Question Backup Software

[Scouse]

I've been using GFI Backup (free) since an old recommendation but I've just installed the newest version on my main box and I'm already not a fan.

I'm not a 50000-seat corporation, just want something to backup my files locally and across a local lan link that doesn't need a bleeding webserver installing to access the admin console.

Ideas puhleaze

 

[caLLous]

FreeFileSync, because it's all I know. You can set it up to run silently so you can use the task scheduler in Win to invoke it on a daily basis or something. AFAIK you can have single source and multiple destinations to sync to and I know from experience that it can handle syncing across a LAN.

 

[MYstIC G]

CrashPlan

Install it on both boxes and it's very "set and forget" and it'll e-mail you if anything fucks up.

 

[TdC]

rsync

 

[Scouse]

Ta peeps

 

[Scouse]

CrashPlan

You still using this?

I'm using Macrium to do image backups but they want paying for file backups (fair enough, but I ain't doing that). Windows backup is indeed the dog that @TdC said.

I want to do a few nightly incremental backups from various folders on different drives (and PC's) to another drive and then do an occasional backup of those backups to an external drive.

Anyone got any other preferences on backup software? You still on FreeFileSync @caLLous?

 

[caLLous]

Yep, I haven't used anything else for backups and syncing folders since July 2011.

You can setup filters to include/exclude certain file types, have presets that do certain syncing jobs that can all be run via a scheduler, it has excellent error logging. It can do any of a number of pre-configured types of synchronisation or you can go completely custom if you want to do something weird, as can be seen here:

Best of all, it's open source and free.

It also has another feature whereby it can monitor folders in real-time and run any of the above tasks on said folders when it detects changes.

 

[MYstIC G]

You still using this?

I'm using Macrium to do image backups but they want paying for file backups (fair enough, but I ain't doing that). Windows backup is indeed the dog that @TdC said.

I want to do a few nightly incremental backups from various folders on different drives (and PC's) to another drive and then do an occasional backup of those backups to an external drive.

Anyone got any other preferences on backup software? You still on FreeFileSync @caLLous?

Yeah I've got no issues with it tbh. Plus you can always flick a switch if you want to offsite your data to them and pay the $

 

[leggy]

Yep, I haven't used anything else for backups and syncing folders since July 2011.

You can setup filters to include/exclude certain file types, have presets that do certain syncing jobs that can all be run via a scheduler, it has excellent error logging. It can do any of a number of pre-configured types of synchronisation or you can go completely custom if you want to do something weird, as can be seen here:

Best of all, it's open source and free.

It also has another feature whereby it can monitor folders in real-time and run any of the above tasks on said folders when it detects changes.

That looks fairly sweet and it runs on OSX too. Will give it a try this weekend.

I've used crashplan in the past (got a years sub for $5) but I found the UI a bit shit.

 

[MYstIC G]

That looks fairly sweet and it runs on OSX too. Will give it a try this weekend.

I've used crashplan in the past (got a years sub for $5) but I found the UI a bit shit.

Agreed on the UI, it's not the most well designed. The claw back is that it is very set it and forget it. Once it's going then you can set it and forget it.

 

[dysfunction]

I am using crashplan and I don't even notice it.

I get an email each week telling me how much has backed up or if it hasn't backed up anything for a few days.

I've once had to do a restore of data. Took some time but was very easy.

 

[Scouse]

@MYstIC G and @dysfunction - I've installed crashplan and it's currently doing it's thang - very slowly considering it's going from a few drives on my PC to a backup drive on that PC - running at internet speeds - another 10 hours (and I started it at about 3pm).

I'm also kinda dissapointed that the folder structure that it's putting there doesn't give me immediate access to the files. I didn't particularly want them encrypted - I just wanted an easily accessable backup so if things went titsup I could copy shit back in no time at all.

I've a VM I'd like to back up - and that's usually as easy as copying the .vmx files. If they're encrypted and that drives goes down and I have to use crashplan's software to get the shit back, even tho it's local, then it'll mean making an absolute ballache of a job rather than a quick 2 minute file copy.

I may have to try @caLLous's solution. If it just mirrors what I'm after then that's half the job done.

 

[dysfunction]

Ah right @Scouse

I use crashplan as an offsight backup on their servers and not a local one. Therefore I have no idea how it is stored.

Synctoy or the other one may be your best option then.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=15155

I believe freefilesync is better though.

 

[Scouse]

Cheers for that @dysfunction.

I'll let crashplan finish this round but then I'll look at the other sync tools (freefilesync and synctoy).

 

[Tilda]

Another vote for crashplan, its excellent

 

[MYstIC G]

Yeah that's a total game changer @Scouse

Personally I'd use Bittorrent Sync if you're after replication because it lets you exclude files, it'll run constantly and you can have read/write and read only sync, it'll also run on any platform.

It'll also just pick up where it leaves off which negates the need for scheduling.

 

[caLLous]

We're just talking about local backups, I don't see the need to over-complicate things... Just use FreeFileSync and stop mincing around, Scouse.

It does *exactly* what you're looking for.

 

[MYstIC G]

So does Bittorrent Sync, except if he decides he wants to put a box on the other side of town he'd be able to do that and it'd still just work.