Using a portable drive to backup files offsite?

[jwjohnson]

I am currently using a storage server at my home office for image backups (1.2 TB).  I have a second identical server at my work that I use for offsite backup.  I am currently using an internet based file sync service for maintaining the offsite backups.  It works well most of the time, but after a shoot I may end up with several gigabytes of new files.  It often takes a week or so for the offsite server to be in sync due to the 30-90 KBPS file transfers I get.  (Depends on time of day and network use.)  I have been thinking of using an external drive to move the new files to the offsite server.  Is anyone doing anything like this?  Is there any software to make this easier than manually copying files to and from the external drive?

Thanks,

Jeff

[David White]

  Is there any software to make this easier than manually copying files to and from the external drive?
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Jeff,

Take a look at [a href=\"http://www.techsoftpl.com/backup/]MirrorFolder[/url].  I've been using this for a few years with no problems.  I'm currently using it to sync my images on an internal RAID5 to a RAID 5 NAS hooked up via ethernet.  You can set it to sync at certain times or you can go into the application and do an immediate sync.  Lots of options are available for the sync method.

[allan67]

Is there any software to make this easier than manually copying files to and from the external drive?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=97333\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hi,

If you're on Windows, you can try Sync Toy from Microsoft Power Toys collection. A very nice tool for synchronising folder contents using various rules.

Allan

[jwjohnson]

Thanks for the suggestions, but I have no problems performing the actual backup of my live system to the NAS in my home office.  My problem is in keeping the offsite backup current.  I have to use the Internet - not ethernet as I have on my other systems.  That's why I am interested in using a portable drive to transfer new files from the NAS to my offsite backup when I've got 10-20 GB of new info.

[BlackeyCole]

It sounds like you need an image management system like Portfolio.  I use it to manage my images it stores a thumbnail and other information which is totally customizable using custom fields.  That way you can carry all the info from your master database with you then you add the new info on location and it will tell you where your original file is locataed and pull it up for you.  If the file tyhat you selecet is on a CD or  DVD it will tell you which one to put in to the drive so that it can pull up the image.  I have been using it for around a month and love it.  It does so much more like slideshows , quicktime movies, web galleries, etc.

I use watch folders so that it automatically update the information from add stuff as you add it to your master directory. I make my backup on site on the CD/DVD if possible and use that for creating my working files that way I know my backup contains good information.  Then I can add the files to my master library once I get home but currently I am using a WD Portfolio 120 GB drive that is USB powered and is about the size of cellhone ipen may a liitle wider and thinner and my cell  phone is a Motorola Razor so it is fairly slim.  No excuses for not taking the drive since it works of the laptop for power.  It is totally portable and I create a backup of the library on another larger dive at home.

So if you use the Portfolio drive you can take it witho you I got mine real cheap on sale from Staples I thought it was $129 buck for the drive the sofwate from Extensis is around $200 and the conmbination is great for traking and storing your master library or a copy of it.  Then sync when you get home.

I hope this helps.