Online backup

[tourdebill]

I am thinking about subscribing to an online backup service like Xdrive. Are there any concerns I ought to have about backing up this way files like Ultra Recall?

[xja]

You might consider Connected.com also. It costs a little more for a similar amount of storage and doesn't have all the bells and whistles that Xdrive has (eg, you can't make it appear as a hard drive on your computer, and the web access stinks), but in terms of backup, it works very efficiently and in particular has one feature that I find useful as a UR user...

Basically, it analyzes files at the block level and only transmits the changes. So, after the first backup of a huge UR file, subsequent backups only transmit changes to the UR file rather than the whole UR file. Handy for big Outlook .pst files also. Here is a better description:

http://onlinebackup.connected.com/

It works great for me (and no I don't have any affiliation with Connected).

Now if Kinook would develop an integrated incremental online backup feature that would keep an online UR file synchronized with a local UR file (like Connected) but also allow web access to individual UR info items, that would be cool... ah, maybe in a few years! Guess I can just use Connected and GotoMyPC in the meantime.

[danson]

Thanks for the advice! Some feedback:

Tried connected - really couldn't stand the little software program it makes you download. Just found it so hard to just make it select ONE SINGLE file (UR's database) for backup. It insisted on doing either the entire drive or the whole folder. Unsubscribed 30 mins after joining.

I'll see if xdrive is a little more user-friendly.

Aren't there any server-side packages giving you block-level access to your own machine from a windows desktop? Heard of samba - does this work for this application?

[xja]

hmm. that's odd. I am able to select any individual files to backup, as well as folders, using Connected software.

Don't know how you could backup at the block level without having software running on the client side, even if only just a Java applet.

[danson]

hi - just so if anyone is looking here:

I have worked out a way using an open source app called Unison. I've written an outline on my original thread:
http://www.kinook.com/Forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1445

It seems to work wonderfully and if you have your own server space you don't need to pay anyone else for your backups!

[sancho_35]

Try <a href='http://www.ibackup.com'>IBackup</a>. It’s a good service for online backup and restore operations. With <a href='http://www.ibackup.com/ibwin_new.htm'>IBackup for Windows</a>you can do interactive backup and restore and also schedule regular online backups for Windows desktops, laptops and servers.

<a href='http://www.ibackup.com/IBDrive_new.htm'>IDrive</a> enables you to map the IBackup online storage account as a local drive on your computer. You can then drag-n-drop, edit and save files in your online backup account using IDrive. Another advantage of using an IBackup account is that the `Mirror path’ option in IBackup for Windows enables you to maintain the exact directory structure of files or folders selected for backup from your computer.

With <a href='http://www.ibackup.com/snapshots_info.htm'>Snapshots</a> you can restore previous 10 days of backup without having to pay for extra space.

The big thing is you can do online backup of MS Exchange Server databases without interrupting running MS Exchange Server services. IBackup for Windows has the ability to backup MS SQL Server databases without stopping database services.

Try IBackup. It will make you happy.

[danson]

<a href='http://www.ibackup.com/IBDrive_new.htm'>IDrive</a> enables you to map the IBackup online storage account as a local drive on your computer. You can then drag-n-drop, edit and save files in your online backup account using IDrive. Another advantage of using an IBackup account is that the `Mirror path’ option in IBackup for Windows enables you to maintain the exact directory structure of files or folders selected for backup from your computer.

Is this realtime mirroring?

With my Unison script I simply run it from a batch script that does:

1. Check local version vs online version and propogate any changes.
2. Run UR and wait for it tot exit.
3. Once it exits repeat step 1.

Works well for me. Realtime mirroring would be better though (depending on speed). Do not attempt to run UR from a mapped drive (even a mapped LAN let alone a mapped ftp-type drive) since it will be VERY slow.