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Looking for an Automatic Incremental Backup solution for client with 6 laptops

I have a client with 6 laptops. They come to their office only one day a week if that. They are looking for an effective backup solution and since they deal with videos and large files like that, I think that online backup is out of the question. I would like to setup an NAS at their office and install software on their computer that will perform a backup once their laptops are connected to the network. I would prefer the backup to be incremental if possible. The backup solution should not consume too many resources on their computer since they are working when they are in their office. They do not have a file server, or a Domain Controller. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Dmitriy

I think robocopy within a batch file should do the trick. If you configure a schedule to run this batch job every day at 12PM in a minimized mode, this should do the trick. I am using this command to do the backup of my files every night:

Robocopy.exe %SSIDRIVE%:\ssi\ h:\BACKUP-SSI\ *.* /e /r:5 w:30 /MIR /LOG+:c:\temp\SSI-BACKUP.log

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2006.11.utilityspotlight.aspx

Corey Haecker

ASKER

does robocopy do incremental backups, and work with vista and windows 7?

Dmitriy

I know that it does incremental backup. And it looks like it is supported in Vista:
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/kbase/WindowsTips/WindowsVista/AdminTips/Misc/RobocopyinVista.html

Dr. Klahn

The tricky part is ... "perform a backup once their laptops are connected to the network."

Getting any commercial backup software to do a backup regularly at the same time every day, or week, or month, is simple enough. It's more difficult to get the software to do thinking along the lines of "OK, this system just connected to the office network ... And the storage server is online ... And I haven't done a backup in two weeks ... I need to do a backup."

On the other hand, if you can trust the laptop "owners" enough to tell them "When you come into the shop, you must click this icon to start the backup, and stay for half an hour while it runs," then things are much simpler, and practically any backup product will work.

I personally like Acronis True Image; their server product may do exactly what you want. You can try it for free at their download page:

http://www.acronis.com/download/

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Dmitriy

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