What Backup software solution do you use? (home users)

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paulchinnz

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#16501 13-Oct-2007 00:00

Recently invested in a bit of data protection (had been using discs before - inconvenient so didn't really do proper backing up) in the form of a Seagate FreeAgent Pro which came with Memeo AutoBackup, which is by and large pretty good. Just using for a single computer.

Interested in what others have tried, particularly software-wise.

freitasm

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#90872 13-Oct-2007 07:35

I have three backup options: first is my Windows Home Server (1.6 TB storage) on my LAN which is used for my own, wife's backups. It is also used as an offsite backup for the Geekzone server.

Next I have a 160 GB Seagate Go USB drive that I have with me when I travel for quick restore if needed.

And finally an on-line backup - because if your home burns down there's no way to get your data back if it's stored in the same place as the original. For on-line backup I use Carbonite. There's also Mozy. They have unlimited options and I think Mozy is currently offering 2 GB free. The backup runs in the bakground so it may take time to complete once you start, but once done it will only upload what's modified.

If using an on-line backup make sure you have a plan that can cope with the initial upload in terms of allowance. After that it will only backup what has changed, so the plan doesn't need to be "unlimited".

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#90877 13-Oct-2007 08:39

I use Acronis True Image for backing up my server and desktop to an external HDD.

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#90878 13-Oct-2007 08:41

I also use Acronis to create images of the Geekzone server (that's how I restored it on a virtual machine for testing)... But have you tried booting from the Acronis rescue CD and check if any external USB drives are visible? I tried it and a couple of my devices - the ones with the oh so important image! - were not visibe at all...

signz

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#90884 13-Oct-2007 09:08

I have found a small program from http://www.zip-backup.com/ to be quite reliable, simple enough to use and dirt cheap.

It will take the set of files nominated and burn them to a CD or DVD on demand or on a schedule. I just leave a DVD+DW in the drive and is backups up overnight. Swap / rotate the disk each day and away you go. When you take the 4GB capacity of a DVD and add in compression you may be able to get 6GB or so backuped up ... more than enough for an average home if all you want is documents etc. www.zipbackup.com is a similar product but with a nicer user interface. They will also backup to external USB hard disk or whatever (as will things like SecondCopy).

As another cheap method of backup I use an external USB drive (or another PC) and a copy of RoboCopy from the Windows Resource Kit. RoboCopy will just copy the selected files (like XCOPY) but will check the destination first and only copy missing things. Great for something like a large folder full of photos that you just want to keep a copy of. Simple ...

I also use tape backup using software from www.novastor.com

DS

paulchinnz

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#90889 13-Oct-2007 09:38

Yeah had been using another computer and a USB drive as a backup before, but a bit of a pain because did it all manually. I like the fact AutoBackup integrates all my hardware backup solutions.

Out of interest, now that Yahoo Mail provides unlimited space, has any one stumbled upon any elegant solutions to using that for backup? (Obviously one could email everything, but that would seem rather time consuming)

signz

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#90892 13-Oct-2007 09:53

As I viewed the reply an add popped up for:

http://www.beinsync.com

Free version allows 1GB, paid 5GB.

Sounds like a good deal to me ... scheduled backups to thier server or your own PCs.

I still prefer removable media so you can take it off-site (have had customers burn down with the only backup in desk drawer at the office). With the DVD backup I can put a backup into the fire-proof safe and store another at a remote locate.

I use all 3 ... USB per infrequent backups, DVD+RW for daily backups and Robocopy for a sync'ed image. I also have mirrored disks in everything. I'm paranoid !

DS

paulchinnz

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#90893 13-Oct-2007 09:56

Quite signz. I leave my FreeAgent at home while I'm off at work with my laptop. If my place of work were to burn down, there would be quite a calamity for around half a million people in NZ!

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#90896 13-Oct-2007 11:08

signz: http://www.beinsync.com

Free version allows 1GB, paid 5GB.

You pay too much for 5GB with beinsync... Mozy and Carbonite will have unlimited for about US$5 a month. I have about 30 GB on Carbonite now.

Also, note that binsync is a synchronisation program, not a backup program. It means that if you delete from your laptop it will also delete from your external drive. This is not backup since you can't restore what is deleted.

I posted in my blog about some synchronisation software, and beinsync was the only one that actually deleted stuf from my laptop - lucky I had Carbonite to restore the folder with files I needed.

freitasm

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#90897 13-Oct-2007 11:10

paulchinnz: Quite signz. I leave my FreeAgent at home while I'm off at work with my laptop. If my place of work were to burn down, there would be quite a calamity for around half a million people in NZ!

I thought this discussion was about home users? Now you put business in the discussion and it seems you leave business data at home!

Is this drive encrypted? Is this according to your company's security policies? Does your IT department know you are taking this data? How does privacy laws apply?

What if some get into your house and take the drive with that that can affect 500,000 New Zealanders?

I would like to know what company you work for and try to avoid them from now on!

paulchinnz

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#90913 13-Oct-2007 13:18

Apologies for causing any panic Mauricio.

I work for the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) at Christchurch Hospital. My backup stuff is essentially personal, although obviously I've got journal articles and do presentations on it related to work (mainly because the hospital, somewhat sensibly - no sarcasm here - does not allow internet access for personal computers. Unfortunately at the moment there's the added reason that I'm not provided with a computer at my desk and have to use somebody elses).

What I meant by half a million Kiwis being affected was more to do with the Hospital burning down rather than my data being lost.

You bring up a good point though, and while there're no official rules I'm aware of at the moment in NZ, certainly at least in UK, my indemnity company tells me 128bit encryption with passwords is the standard in some hospitals. I certainly intend to do that if there's patient data lying around my drives.

So again, apologies for the panic, and can I on behalf of the CDHB extend you a very warm welcome indeed if you happen to be in the unfortunate position of needing our services!