Monday, August 14, 2006
Good Copies - Synchronize files with Allway Sync
You may recall from earlier posts that I am working on a disaster recovery scheme as well as cleaning off my main computer for a full recovery. With nearly 2,000,000 individual files on 3 hard drives, this has proven to be quite the task. I've made some progress but I've also made some discoveries along the way.
As a web developer, I use a tool called an "FTP Client." FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and it is what we use to transfer files from our hard drive to a web server. (Very basic description, learn more at Wikipedia) As simply as I can describe, it simply moves files from one place to another BUT, once files are there, it simply updates files that are added, changed or removed. I wanted a tool like this for my back up scheme. The native tool in XP Pro seemed a little cumbersome and limiting. It also took forever to run. It's called file synchronization.
I asked a fellow Active Server Pages developer for his preferred method of "synchronizing" files. His suggestion, as most, was outstanding. I asked him if he knew of a program that worked like an FTP client for local files and he suggested a product called "Allway Sync."
From their website:
What is Allway Sync?
Allway Sync is free file and folder synchronization software for Windows.
Allway Sync uses innovative synchronization algorithms to synchronize your data between desktop PCs, laptops, USB drives and more. Allway Sync combines bulletproof reliability with an extremely easy-to-use interface.
I downloaded it, installed it and "played" with it and I have to tell you, this product is amazing. I'll try to explain what I was trying to do.
I wanted a copy of my user files. Everything from cookies to favorites to photos and pictures. I wanted a way to keep a full backup on a separate location just in case of hardware failure as well as a way that would allow me to delete the local files but NOT delete the back up files. A way that would update existing files and folders but leave unchanged files alone. This product does it flawlessly.
By default, the program will make mirror copies of entire folder structures. It will add, edit and delete files located in the backup location. The software gave me the option to not delete the files from the backup but would modify the changed and added files.
One note; there are a small number of files in the user folders that are not accessible due to access restrictions. I'm not concerned about these control files so I selected options that would skip these files.
The folder on standard installations of Windows XP Pro is located at C:\Documents and Settings\{user login}. It contains everything from temporary internet files, desktop icons, favorites, history, my documents and the like. While I may not need the temporary files, copying everything was an easy way to make a carbon copy of the while structure without spending too much time on the set up. Using the option to not delete files from the destination, the backup copy could grow prohibitively large so when I restore my computer, I will change the settings to allow for removal.
My goal at this point is to make as close a copy as possible before I reformat my main hard drive. Once the hard drive is formatted and Windows XP Pro reinstalled, I will be making a recovery disk that will allow me to recover more easily in the future.
This is all part of my overall disaster recovery efforts. Since my main computer has been a little overused and too many programs have been installed and uninstalled, I am having a few issues with key components like web servers and database servers. I'm not suggesting that this is the only way to start fresh, but it is the way I have chosen to do it.
As part of my small business plan, I have included an operational section called Information Technology with sub sections on software, hardware, back up and data recovery, information security and so forth. I believe that it is very important for small businesses to give this as much attention as any other part of their operations. As I've written in the past, protecting the data on our small business computers is not only good for our private information, it's also good for our clients protect and that my friends is just good business with integrity.
I will write about my selections for anti-spyware and anti-virus software when I install them. I've gone away from Norton and the other big boys in favor or AVG and Spybot. I'm trying to find easy and affordable methods of managing my computers in a manner that is effective as well as methods that take the least amount of my precious time and effort.
If you are looking for an easy and affordable way to synchronize your files and folders, I can recommend Allway Sync without reservation.
Now, to install the operating system on that new server I just received from Dell. Wish me luck.
