Renegade

Hey Guys, looking for some assistance. I currently run a small business, and it is a necessity for me to backup all of my client files daily. Besides cloud, I'd like to backup on an 2tb external hard drive. My question is which one is the easiest to sync the files with daily? I'm basically looking for an external hard drive solution where I plug it into my desktop at the end of the day, hit one button, and it automatically will backup any new files or changes in specific folders/directories that I preset. Any suggestions?

Whiskers

Button? Why? Most come with software that will backup on a schedule.

Renegade

Software is fine as well. Literally whatever is the simplest method and requires the least amount of work to automatically backup any changes to specific folders/files in those folders daily.

Whiskers

Windows or Mac has a backup built in. Just get the drive.

#1 STUNNA

I do IT for small businesses and we like to recommend getting at least two backup drives and rotating them every week and keeping one off-site.

@Whiskers have you used the File History backup that's been in Windows since version 8? Do you like it?

Renegade

Thanks #1 Stunna, I guess that is a good idea, it would be very unlikely that 2 external hard drives and my desktop hard drive would crash all at the same time. I guess I could also do something like Carbonite, where it's pretty well encrypted and protected in the cloud.

stogie1020

Renegade, how much data are you talking about?

Honestly, using Google drive or BOX.net or Dropbox would probably be the simplest and most bulletproof.

In this day and age, I do NOT recommend leaving your only backup solution (USB Drive) constantly connected to your computer. The Ransomware viruses will encrypt the connected backup along with your computer and then you are hosed...

Whiskers

Its not time machine.

#1 STUNNA

Which is why I recommended rotating two drives and keeping one off-site. I think he said he's already using cloud backup. But it's best to not rely on just one backup type because if it stops working for whatever reason and you don't fix it and you end up needing it then you.

If someone breaks in and steal the PC they'll probably steal the backup drive too that was connected to it. Or if there's a fire the connected backup drive won't make it either.

#1 STUNNA

I don't like that it doesn't use VHD images anymore, it doesn't backup programs or Windows files so you can't restore the whole system just the files. That's kinda poop

#1 STUNNA

Yo wait! System Image Backup is still in Windows8+ it's just kinda hidden. It's called backup and restore (windows 7) now. You can see it in the old control panel when you change the view to large or small icons. That's what you should be using Renegade

#1 STUNNA

Look into Crashplan backup, it's just as good as Carbonite but it's unlimited backup and $10/mo per PC for businesses, which is a lot cheaper than Carbonite. We use it on a few clients for the past 2-3 years and haven't had any issues.

So Crashplan and two backup drives. Have Crashplan backup your data files then use System Image backup to create image backups of your entire PC to the external drives so that you can restore everything or even migrate it to a new PC (more techy since it'll require slipstreaming drivers but it's possible) in case of a total disaster.

https://www.crashplan.com/en-us/business/

CCColtsicehockey

I have actually been working on trying automate a setup to make a solution that doesn't stay logically connected to the computer but still stays physically connected. The way I am trying to do this is to is to have the drive always connected. The power to the drive will plug into a zwave controlled smart plug. At a certain time the drive will turn on. A few minutes after that the automated backup job will run. At the end of the job another script will be run to safely eject the usb device, and then send a command to my SmartThings hub to turn off the power to the drive.

I agree that still having an off site or cloud copy of your most critical files is definitely a good idea but this is my solution to combat the ransomware that is going around so much lately. I also do most of my web browsing on my desktop anymore inside of a virtual machine or inside of a sandbox application as well.

#1 STUNNA

Windows Image backups don't assign a drive letter to the backup drive so I don't think most ransomware would encrypt it. The backup drive doesn't show up in explorer but can be seen in disk management though you can browse the files until you assign it a drive letter

#1 STUNNA

*can't browse

doopstr

Time machine is one of the few things left that are keeping me on mac. That and no viruses.
Time machine to my nas is awesome, never think about it.

Renegade

Interesting, didn't know about Ransomware. I wouldn't keep it plugged in, I would just connect it and then wanted to hit one button on software to back it up, and then unplug it once done. Thanks for your thoughts guys!

#1 STUNNA

You should probably set it up to do it automatically, it's more reliable than you remembering to do it. I've not heard of ransomware encrypting Windows Backup drive because they aren't visible to File Explorer and doesn't have a drive letter.

doopstr

All your backups belong to me.

#1 STUNNA

True! Can you do a test restore to another PC and see if it works? You may need to slipstream drivers and it'll definitely want yu to activate just dont plug in a network cable and we're good. Thanks dude!