sdguy
asked on
Dynamic Backup software with Scheduling?
I currently have a user that is in need of backing up a few select directories on their laptop. The contents of these directories will change fairly frequently (new files and modifications to existing files)
I am interested in finding a backup software that will do/allow the following:
1) Will support Directory backups (i.e not based on the contents, just the directory - whatever is here goes approach) Comparison backups may not be a major ordeal as the user will probably burn a new CD each time.
2) Easy to use, but professional appearance would be nice. (unfortunately I have seen some programs that really look as though they are designed for nothing more than teenagers to burn their downloaded mp3s.)
3) Compatible with Windows XP and supports burning to a CDR-W possibly as DVD-R.
4) Does not compress the data into a proprietary filesystem. For example, Windows backup places everything in a .BKF file. I prefer to have the data readable from any machine. (Straight file copy. If the program supports compression that's fine, but I want the option to not compress.)
5) Allows the user to schedule when to back the data up. Two things in mind with this. The first being that it will notify the user if the media is not available (i.e. they didn't have a burnable CD in the drive) and that the memory resident scheduler isn't a resource hog. Also, scheduling multiple backups may be an excellent addition too. For example, every week it backs the data up to a network drive, then once a month it backs the data from the network drive to a CD ROM, etc. FYI this is on a peer-to-peer network, so stand alone is the best approach, but having the flexibility may be beneficial.
I'm currently looking at BackUp MyPC from Stomp (Formerly called Backup Exec Desktop by Veritas).
I am going to download the demo of this and check out the available options. Does anyone have any experience with this, good or bad?
I realize there's a lot of requests here. The software doesn't need to be a 100% match, but the better the match, the more help it will be.
Thanks in advance,
-Sdguy
I am interested in finding a backup software that will do/allow the following:
1) Will support Directory backups (i.e not based on the contents, just the directory - whatever is here goes approach) Comparison backups may not be a major ordeal as the user will probably burn a new CD each time.
2) Easy to use, but professional appearance would be nice. (unfortunately I have seen some programs that really look as though they are designed for nothing more than teenagers to burn their downloaded mp3s.)
3) Compatible with Windows XP and supports burning to a CDR-W possibly as DVD-R.
4) Does not compress the data into a proprietary filesystem. For example, Windows backup places everything in a .BKF file. I prefer to have the data readable from any machine. (Straight file copy. If the program supports compression that's fine, but I want the option to not compress.)
5) Allows the user to schedule when to back the data up. Two things in mind with this. The first being that it will notify the user if the media is not available (i.e. they didn't have a burnable CD in the drive) and that the memory resident scheduler isn't a resource hog. Also, scheduling multiple backups may be an excellent addition too. For example, every week it backs the data up to a network drive, then once a month it backs the data from the network drive to a CD ROM, etc. FYI this is on a peer-to-peer network, so stand alone is the best approach, but having the flexibility may be beneficial.
I'm currently looking at BackUp MyPC from Stomp (Formerly called Backup Exec Desktop by Veritas).
I am going to download the demo of this and check out the available options. Does anyone have any experience with this, good or bad?
I realize there's a lot of requests here. The software doesn't need to be a 100% match, but the better the match, the more help it will be.
Thanks in advance,
-Sdguy
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
You can create several "backup profiles" and schedule them to run at variuos intervals (for example, every friday; if computer, where SecondCopy resides is turned off that day, backups will start next day).
Program must be running, if you need scheduled backups.
Where will you install that program - on laptop, or on workstation?
Program must be running, if you need scheduled backups.
Where will you install that program - on laptop, or on workstation?
ASKER
At this point I am looking at installing it to the laptop system.
I really don't want to rely on the desktop machine more than I have to. The desktop is a bit older and to be honest, I'm sure what the hard drive size even is at this time (haven't had a chance to check). I'm looking at creating a few of these profiles and backing them up directly to the CD without using compression. I haven't had a chance to meet with the user to check the size of the directories they need backed up either. So at this point I'm looking at just having them create new backups every so often, although the differential (what is new and has changed) approach might not be bad. I have seen Windows OS handle these types of things horribly in the past and will need to test it a bit more with SecondCopy.
I downloaded the software last night and it's got a really nice and easy to use interface. Unfortunately I didn't have any CDRWs to test the idea of formatting the disk with InCD and trying to back up that way. I plan on looking into that this evening.
Also, I downloaded the demo for BackUP MyPC and it appears that SecondCopy may be a better solution at this time.
I really don't want to rely on the desktop machine more than I have to. The desktop is a bit older and to be honest, I'm sure what the hard drive size even is at this time (haven't had a chance to check). I'm looking at creating a few of these profiles and backing them up directly to the CD without using compression. I haven't had a chance to meet with the user to check the size of the directories they need backed up either. So at this point I'm looking at just having them create new backups every so often, although the differential (what is new and has changed) approach might not be bad. I have seen Windows OS handle these types of things horribly in the past and will need to test it a bit more with SecondCopy.
I downloaded the software last night and it's got a really nice and easy to use interface. Unfortunately I didn't have any CDRWs to test the idea of formatting the disk with InCD and trying to back up that way. I plan on looking into that this evening.
Also, I downloaded the demo for BackUP MyPC and it appears that SecondCopy may be a better solution at this time.
You can format CD-R's with InCD too.
ASKER
Sorry about the delay in dealing with this posting. It's been busy the last few days, and I haven't had much time to follow up on this issue.
As for formatting CD-Rs with InCD, I haven't had any luck. It doesn't give the option to format it (grayed out). I am also planning on testing out this btsoftware too.
Please hang in there, I haven't forgotten about this ? yet.
Thanks,
sdguy
As for formatting CD-Rs with InCD, I haven't had any luck. It doesn't give the option to format it (grayed out). I am also planning on testing out this btsoftware too.
Please hang in there, I haven't forgotten about this ? yet.
Thanks,
sdguy
ASKER
Just wanted to give everyone an update. At this time, it looks at though I will be going with SecondCopy 2000. However, I'm not ready to give points yet (I know I know, we all want points :Þ) but I am scheduled to meet with the client tomorrow evening.
I'll come back and let you know how the client feels.
Thanks again,
Sdguy
I'll come back and let you know how the client feels.
Thanks again,
Sdguy
ASKER
I am looking over this software now. One more thing I should have mentioned is that this will be used on a laptop. As said above, scheduling is an important thing, however having the ability to do "one click" backups would be great too, since the user may not always be on the network or ready to do a backup. Do you know if secondcopy will support that?
Thanks,
sdguy