Need to replace my backup software solution

I got notice from the vendor (Novastor) of my backup software that the price is going from $85 a year to $150. A bit steep for me. They're adding cloud storage, which is something I don't need.

My need is simple... I do differential copying of changed files from my Synology NAS to stand alone backup drives. I have multiple differential backup jobs that run on schedule each night.

I don't want syncing backups which delete files on the backup drives that are deleted from my NAS. Only differential copying of new and changed files. Pretty simple stuff.

I don't need imaging backups though I'm aware that most backup software does that.

Three of my local backup drives remain on site as a just in case I need them. One local backup drive gets rotated to my local bank's safe deposit on a regular basis.

I know of Macrium Reflect and I'll be looking into that product. If there are any others that I should consider I'd be grateful to know of them.

rpetruzz said:

I know of Macrium Reflect and I'll be looking into that product. If there are any others that I should consider I'd be grateful to know of them.

Click to expand...

IMO , no, I have been using Macrium for years and would probably never use or trust anything else.

My need is simple... I do differential copying of changed files from my Synology NAS to stand alone backup drives. I have multiple differential backup jobs that run on schedule each night.
I don't want syncing backups which delete files on the backup drives that are deleted from my NAS. Only differential copying of new and changed files. Pretty simple stuff.
I don't need imaging backups though I'm aware that most backup software does that.

Click to expand...

You could see if Karen's replicator will do what you want.


Karen's Replicator copies selected files from one drive/folder to another. Source and Destination folders can reside anywhere on your network.

Options include:

• 
  
• Repeated copies at intervals as short as a few minutes, or as long as several months
• 
  
• Copying only the files that have changed
• 
  
• Removing folders and files from the destination if they have been deleted from the source
• 
  
• Ability to exclude files, specifying which files should not be copied
• 
  
• Ability to exclude days, specifying which days a job should be skipped

Obviously dont select the third option above.

I was just looking at Macrium, which I do own, for drive management purposes and when setting up my backup it appeared to me that Macrium creates a "backup set". I haven't run this backup test yet, but I'm wondering if you can use Windows Explorer to see individual files in the set? I wouldn't want to have to start up the backup software just to retrieve an individual file. With my current solution it is just a straight file copy and all files on the backup drive are visible just like they are in the source drive.

SIW2...
Thank you I'll look into this

rpetruzz said:

it appeared to me that Macrium creates a "backup set". I haven't run this backup test yet, but I'm wondering if you can use Windows Explorer to see individual files in the set?

Click to expand...

Yes, if you have Reflect installed on your PC then you can mount a Macrium image (.mrimg) or a Files and Folders backup (.mrbak) as a virtual drive that you can explore with File Explorer. Just double-click on your image file. Make sure you tick the box for 'Enable access to restricted folders'. You should then be able to open or copy any of the documents in that image.

You could try Live File Backup, which I use together with Macrium Reflect.

I use SyncBack Free to backup my files along with Hasleo to back up the system.

It takes some fiddling to set up the SyncBack backup profile(s) initially. Then it can be scheduled or one click backups of your data.

GadgetBuilder.......
Thank you.. I'll look into that too.

IanMosley.........
Thank you for that suggestion

Look no further than Macrium Reflect. You can schedule backups of whatever partitions you choose and mount any partition as a virtual drive to extract selected files / folders. Reflect is very reliable and has never let me down.

rpetruzz said:

I got notice from the vendor (Novastor) of my backup software that the price is going from $85 a year to $150. A bit steep for me. They're adding cloud storage, which is something I don't need.

My need is simple... I do differential copying of changed files from my Synology NAS to stand alone backup drives. I have multiple differential backup jobs that run on schedule each night.

I don't want syncing backups which delete files on the backup drives that are deleted from my NAS. Only differential copying of new and changed files. Pretty simple stuff.

I don't need imaging backups though I'm aware that most backup software does that.

Three of my local backup drives remain on site as a just in case I need them. One local backup drive gets rotated to my local bank's safe deposit on a regular basis.

I know of Macrium Reflect and I'll be looking into that product. If there are any others that I should consider I'd be grateful to know of them.

Click to expand...

Hi there
If it's a synology type of NAS server it's presumably got some type of Linux OS in it.

The easiest way of backing up files is to use the built in command rsync. I believe you can get access to rsync via the NAS's DSM control panel. rsync can either delete on destination or not delete -- so you don't have that problem.


If you have any sort of GUI on that server where you can sideload apps on it then a simple way is to install grsync which is the GUI front end for rsync - this makes it a lot easier -- Plenty of options such as only backup new / changed files etc etc.

For backing up changed Windows (user data) files just connect the windows drive to your NAS and run either grsync (if you can install it) or rsync with the appropriate command line. Linux type OS'es can all read / write Windows ntfs files these days by default -- otherwise install ntfs-3g package.

Personally for any type of NAS server I prefer using an ordinary PC with a linux distro on it -- can be even a lowly laptop - but that's another issue BTW.

I keep windows data files and the OS separate and have my windows OS as vhdx files -- I back up the windows vhdx files only before a windows build update or before major software updates - but User data files that I don't have on the cloud I backup to my (Linux based) NAS server regularly.






As for Macrium Reflect -- I used to use it on Windows for simply imaging the OS every so often -- but since I now use Windows entirely in vhdx files as well as in Virtual machines I don't see the use of Macrium any more if you have a capable non Windows non passive (i.e a computer with an OS in it - not just a stand alone NAS drive) NAS system. (Plus things like rsync and grsync are FREE).

cheers
jimbo