Automatically backup a folder on a network...

[Miralcos]

Hi folx,
I searched for this answer but can't seem to find it. I have a computer on a network which is a domain at work. Is there a way for me to set a file on one of the computers to automatically be copied to the server? Say I want to keep a running backup of one particular file that is on the workstation to the server like the C:\Program Files folder. I have the server backed up every night via tape drive. I know there is a simple way to do this, I just seem to be too dense to do it. Fire away people. :shrug:

:edit: Oops, forgot to add, workstation is XP and server is 2K.

[russ_da_bus]

1. Schedule a backup of whatever you want to backup e.g c:\program files.
2. Create a batch file that copies the backup.bkf over to the server.
3. Schedule a task to run the .bat file each night (just make sure that it is set to run after the backup has finished).

[Miralcos]

Got any links on making batch files that would do this? I've never made a batch file. Is there not a way to schedule the backup to go to a network drive?

[SocketMouth]

If you have a Linux server floating around your house that could act as the backup server I would look into rsync.

“rsync uses the "rsync algorithm" which provides a very fast method for bringing remote files into sync. It does this by sending just the differences in the files across the link, without requiring that both sets of files are present at one of the ends of the link beforehand.”

There are lots of guides out there for rsync with windows machines.

There’s also a guide from Microsuck which seems promising “Decide Where to Store Your Backup Files” / “A shared network drive.” / “Set a Schedule”

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx

[Miralcos]

Thank you very much, that link is exactly what I've been looking for. Thanks for the suggestions guys! :beer: