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So here is a revised and updated article. The original content is included after the ones I missed the first time around.
Qdea, Inc.'s Synchronize! Pro is a professional-strength file server mirroring, synchronization and backup utility, now accelerated (native) on Power Macs.
Just downloadSynchronize! Pro 4.2 and try it out, or if you've already purchased Synchronize! Pro, use this as an updater.
As a way of introducing you to Synchronize! Pro, you may use its basic file synchronization and backup features free for folders containing 10MBytes or less. Download this self-extracting archive and try it out. The many advanced features of the program may be demonstrated withfolders which contain less than 1000K.
Unlimited use of all features requires the purchase of the program, which is $99.95, plus shipping. For example, you can use Synchronize! Pro to mirror a file server to a second file server, or locally-connected hard disk, including user andgroup privileges for each folder. The second file server becomes a network-accessible "hot backup", in case your main file server fails.
Synchronize! Pro actions can be scheduled to be performed at night or at any preset time, once or periodically, without anyone present.Passwords are automatically supplied.
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New in the latest version:
• Fixed a problem in which setting a folder to be synced with drag and drop caused the wrong disk to be used. This resulted in a "Can't sync because the folders are the same" error message
• Fixed a bug which sometimes caused an error when creating a folder
• Fixed a crash which could occur after playing a completion sound
• Added an "Auto Syncs" window, which lists the current files which will be auto-synced
• AutoSync is improved. Please see the separate document "If AutoSync won't quit" if you have difficulty installing it
• Added a setting the the "File Errors" Preferences page which allows the error dialog to be skipped altogether
• Added "Skip All" to the error dialog, so that all errors can be skipped after the first one is encountered
• "Sync at startup" choice wasn't being set in the Start Options dialog, although it was being saved
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Synchronize! Pro X
This is a public beta of Synchronize! Pro X. As such, you are welcome to use it for free, with the following caveat:
This software will expire February 21, 2002. ÂÂ
For more information, visit:
http://www.qdea.com/pages/beta.html
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Also available is Synchronize!, which is Fully compatible with System 7.x, MacOS 8.x and 9.x, while using 300k of RAM and 1.3MB of disk space.
Features:
• Set folders to backup/sync by dragging them from the desktop.
• Displays a hierarchical list of files to be copied, similar to the Finder.
• Choose folders to include or exclude from the sync.
• Can use aliases to group certain files and folders to backup/sync and it will backup/sync the originals of the aliases.
• Syncs deleted files, which means that files deleted from one folder are also deleted from the other.
• Easy one-way backup, including deletion of old files.
Synchronize! will automatically do the following...
• launch when backup/sync is needed.
• connect to server disks, using File Sharing or AppleShare.
• remember Remote Access and file server passwords.
• unmount remote disks when finished.
• disconnect Apple Remote Access (ARA) when finished.
• shut down or sleep Macs when done.
• log activity for later review.
• backup/sync can be scheduled, once or periodically.
• supports AppleScript initiation of backup/sync
System Requirements:
• Macintosh only
• 68000 to G4 processor
• System 7 to Mac OS9
• Minimum 300k of RAM
• 1.3MB of Hard Disk
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Price: $29.95
For more information, visit:
http://www.qdea.com/
Synk 4 requires OS X 10.1 and is written in Cocoa.
Features:
- native Cocoa application supporting all OS X features
- informative preview window gives you full control over what will happen
- intelligent synchronization that knows when you have removed a file from a folder or copied one in
- powerful archival features that keeps and organizes every modified document
- if run as root, Synk copies all file attributes including ownership and permissions
- can consider changes in permissions to be a modified file
Several features of Synk 3.1 are not yet implemented. Please also grab Synk 3.1 as well. Most of its features will become available in the preview releases over the next while.
Preview 5 improvements:
- works around a bug in OS X 10.1.2 that reports modification times consistently wrong by a number of seconds. Synk 4 p5 allows you to set a number of seconds ignored between files (0 to 9999 seconds)
- fixes a problem with non-ascii characters (such as accented characters)
System requirements:
• PPC
• Mac OS 8 or higher - version 2.6.1 will work with 680x0 or PPC and System 7 users
Shareware, $15
For more information, visit:
http://mypage.uniserve.ca/~rvoth/synk4.html
Synk requires OS X 10.1 or at least OS 8.5 and CarbonLib 1.0.4. Release Candidate 8 is the final version.
Known issues with Synk 3.1.2 OS X:
• under certain circumstances, files moved to the trash do not appear until you log out and back in again
• Synk does not always work well with shared Windows 2000 volumes and certain NFS shares
• group and ownership is not copied (a limitation of Carbon... this will not be a limitation in Synk 4)
Documentation is now in PDF format.
Synk is $15 shareware Upgrades to Synk are always free.
For more information, visit:
http://mypage.uniserve.ca/~rvoth/synkx.html
Drag'nBack is an easy-to-use, full-featured backup program for all Mac OS compatible computers. The following is a partial list of features:
• Drag and drop to back up disks, folders, or files.
• Archives old backup file when source file needs be backed up again.
• Synchronize disks, folders, or files.
• Compress, encrypt, verify, and defragment files.
• Restoring files as easily as backing them up.
• Open, locate, or get infomation of files from the backup template.
New in Drag'nBack 4.0.4:
• Improved handling of network volumes.
Drag'nBack Lite is for users who are mainly interested in backing up files without spending any extra learning time. Several options in Drag'nBack that can confuse a novice user are removed in Drag'nBack Lite. Also removed are several options that potentially can cause losing files if improperly used. Thus Drag'nBack Lite is safer, less confusing, and straighforward to use than Drag'nBack. Drag'nBack Lite is suitable for novice and casual user.
Drag'nBack, on the other hand, is for those power users that want to manage and organize their files more efficiently. Drag'nBack also has features that make your files more secure. Although they are not easier to perform.
Drag'nBack (full version) features
• It is a stand alone program. It does not install any extension in the system folder.
• Drag and drop icons on the desktop to back up files.
• Mirror image backup: the file is duplicated in the same set of folders in the backup disk. This makes restoring a file as easy as backing it up.
• New files/folders in the folders you dragged to back up can be automatically backed.
• A file that is too large to fit into a backup disk will be split and saved in multiple disks.
• The backup file can be verified, compared, encrypted, or compressed.
• User can select a number so that compression will take place when the file size is greater than or equal to this number.
• Safer image backup: two different versions of backup files will be alternatively replaced. This will greatly enhance the fileÕs safety.
• Incrementally back up files. This allows you to retrieve previous versions of your file.
• Straight backup, backup file will be replaced even if it is changed.
• A backup template can track hundreds of thousands of files.
• Full Synchronization
• Files between two volumes can be synchronized.
• Folders between two volumes can be synchronized.
• Creating a new file or folder in a synchronized folder whether in the source disk or backup disk will cause corresponding file or folder being created in the other disk.
• Deleting a file from a synchronized folder whether in the source disk or backup disk will cause corresponding file or folder being deleted in the other disk (as an option).
• Files and folders can be moved or renamed. The backup file and folders will be changed correspondingly.
• Backup file can be placed in a special source folder to reduce cluttering of backup disk.
• Background backup, after backup starts you can work on other documents while backup is proceeding in the background.
• You can keep a record of what files are backed up at what time and date.
• Complete Archiving
• Archive backup, a file can be backed up to a disk then deleted from the source disk. This can free up valuable space in your internal hard disk.
• Furthermore, you can place an alias of the backup file in the source disk. Thus you can locate this file in the source disk. When you double-click at the alias you will be asked for the backup disk if it is not alredy mounted. If you like you can easily restore the backup file to the source disk. Furthermore, you can move, rename or even delete the alias and the program can do the same to the backup file.
• A file's comment can be backed up too.
• A fragmented file can be defragmented after it is backed up.
• Muti-template backup, several backup templates can be used to back up files one after the other.
• Backup templates are remembered. You donÕt have to open folders to find previously used template.
• The program can run in small memory.
• The program works in all Mac OSs up to OS 9.
• Online help is provided.
• Supports all international fonts including Japanese language.
• Backup media can be any Finder-mountable device such as floppy, MO, Zip, Jaz, Syquest, hard drive, or remote volumes.
• Finder Integration
• Ask Finder to reveal the icon of a file.
• Ask Finder to show the comment of a file.
• Ask Finder to open a file.
• Copy files to another folder.
• Find a file instantaneously.
• Sort files to see files from different perspectives.
• Use this program to back up to the internet. Back up to Apple's iDisk.
• Four task buttons making setting options easier.
• Y2K compliant.
• Please read the User's Guide for registration instructions.
Price:
$50 per license for Drag'nBack
$20 per license for Drag'nBack Lite
For more information, visit:
http://members.aol.com/realip/index.html
BackJack is an automated, online backup service that stores your critical Macintosh files in an off-site location, thus providing the ultimate in data protection.
Using the Internet, BackJack automates the task of creating a daily off-site backup. Your data will be there no matter what happens at your business or home. Flood, fire, vandalism, theft, failure of a tape drive, loss of a CD-ROM - none of these will be a threat to your data once you begin using BackJack.
BackJack is automatic, secure, and cost effective. You simply tell BackJack (one time) WHAT to back up and WHEN to do it. BackJack does the rest, automatically, every day. Choose individual files, folders, or an entire hard drive. Your data is compressed, encrypted, sent to our servers, and redundantly stored. You can retrieve anything you need - any time you need it - in seconds. At any time, you can change WHAT is backed up, how many prior versions of a file are retained and how long something is kept after it has been deleted from your hard drive.
Using BackJack, you can archive or keep multiple revisions of valuable information in an off-site location. BackJack is also the ideal way to guarantee the safety of crucial information created while you're traveling, or access information that's otherwise inaccessible.
Using BackJack:
1. Download it - Download and install the BackJack application. There's a FREE 15-day trial.
2. Set it - Tell BackJack WHAT to back up, and WHEN to do it. You can choose to back up any combination of individual files, folders, or entire disks. BackJack lets YOU decide how many revisions of a file to keep securely backed up, and how long to retain a document you've deleted from your hard drive.
3. Forget it - BackJack now goes to work, securely transferring and storing your important files in an off-site location every day. You don't have to do another thing. You can retrieve anything at any time from BackJack, and you can always change what is being backed up. BackJack is flexible, capable, and dependable.
Every night (or whenever you designate), BackJack looks to see if the files in your backup set have been changed since the last backup. If they have, it compresses them, encrypts them using a highly secure 128-bit key, and transmits everything to the doubly-redundant BackJack servers for safekeeping. After the initial backup, only new or changed files are backed up each day, making backups fast and efficient.
System requirements:
• Any Power Macintosh, iMac or iBook
• System Software version 7.1 or higher
• At least 7 MB of available hard disk space
• At least 3 MB of available memory (RAM) to run BackJack
• PPP, SLIP or direct network access to the Internet (14.4 kpbs minimum - 28.8 recommended)
Open Transport v 1.1.1 or greater (networking software)
BackJack & OS X
Blackjack is currently testing to ensure that backing up information to their servers is 100% reliable under this new operating system. Please note that the current version does work in Classic mode with the FINAL version of OS X (i.e. not the Public Beta).
BackJack offers two pricing plans:
• Personal Plan is our introductory plan for those who have modest storage requirements
• Business Plan is for those with larger volume requirements
Under both plans, you pay a monthly subscription fee that includes a fixed amont of storage. Need more? No problem. Just use it. No phone calls to buy more space, no payment in advance. If you exceed the space we offer with each plan, your average space used for the month determines your monthly storage cost. And keep in mind that your files are efficiently compressed by BackJack before being transmitted. The storage you use and pay for will often be HALF or less of the uncompressed file size.
Monthly Subscription Fees
Personal Plan
U.S./International - US$8.50
Canada - Can$12.00
Business Plan
U.S./International - US$17.50
Canada - Can$25.00
For more information, visit:
http://www.backjack.com/
BackUp ToolKit's incremental backup analyzes the content of your hard drives and makes a backup copy of each modified folders or files. Synchronization keeps your laptop and desktop computers up-to-date. Mirror backup makes an exact copy of your drive. Evolutive mirror backup saves the entire content of the volume as well as the recent versions of each modified document. You can have multiple configurations for multiple backups. Compression saves backup storage space. The backup can be done on removable cartridge, a second drive, a drive on the network, or even a designated backup folder on you hard drive. BackUp ToolKit--the one backup utility for your backup needs.
FWB Backup Toolkit offers four ways to simplify your backup tasks
• Incremental Backup
Backup new or modified files
• Synchronization
Synchronize folders or volumes
• Mirror Backup
Copy entire volume
• Evolutive Mirror Backup
Save entire contents with recent versions of modified document
Developed by FWB's French partner Tri-Edre, BackUp ToolKit was designed with ease-of-use in mind. The user interface takes the guesswork out of backup tasks and a backup session can be configured in a minimal amount of steps. Once setup, BackUp ToolKit protects your valuable work without the need for you to intervene.
Automated Backup
• You can configure the BackUp ToolKit using it's Programmed Action mode to execute automatically any time you want--when your computer is turned on, at the end of the day before your computer is shut down, or anytime in between. Once configured, BackUp ToolKit protects your valuable work without the need for you to intervene.
You can also customize the program in many different ways, depending on your needs. BackUp ToolKit offers different backup mode settings. You can backup modified files since the last backup, backup an exact copy of your disk, backup an exact copy of your disk and retains the previous version of the moodified documents, or synchronize two folders or volumes. To save space, files can be compressed. The backup files can even be encrypted to prevent prying eyes. Any way you cut it, BackUp ToolKit is the one utility you should have.
Designed to Support
• Mirror and incremental backup modes
• Evolutive mirror backup mode
• Folder/volume synchronization
• Multiple backup configurations
• Extremely flexible file exclusion management
• File compression with encryption support
• Folders/Files comparison feature
Easy to Use
• "Drag and Drop" backup management.
• Fully automated.
• Straightforward user interface.
• Comprehensive on-line manual.
System Requirements
• System 8.6 or later. Built for Mac OS X.
• Power Macintosh CPU
• 6 MB of free RAM
• Hard disk or removable drive for backup storage.
For more information, visit:
http://www.fwb.com/cs/btk/main.html
Note: Reader Paul Shields writes:
FWB backup is just a repackaged version of Tri-Backup [see below]. No need to pay more for the same thing. (Actually, FWB lags a few minor version updates behind the shareware product, so you actually get less and pay more).
More to the point, the one issue I have with both Tri-Backup and FWB is the well-documented problem (it is in their own documentation) that clearly states users cannot rely on Tri-Backup to always backup all their files and thus need to confirm each backup run. Tri-Backup uses the files modification date as the key when running incremental backups. If I configure a folder for backup, let it run the first time and then just do incremental backups from that point, when I copy a new file to the folder, I need to make sure the files modification date is something after the date of the last backup. If not the file will not be backed up, No warning, no error, just not backed up.
The software assumes that anything with a mod date that proceeds the last backup was already backed up. Poor assumption in my opinion. I won't disagree that it has a nice interface and some other interesting features, but this flaw is pretty serious.
Also, most of these packages are designed to essentially mirror your data between two locations. While this is a good start, it is not what I would consider a full-featured backup solution. What if I change a file every day,
and then realize I need the version from two weeks ago. With file synchronization and mirroring, I am out of luck.
The other problem I have with backup software in general on the Mac, under OS X, is the poor support for high-capacity devices like tape. Its great that all these packages can write CDs, but when you have hundreds of GB of data, backup to CD is not practical. Why is tape drive support under OS X so difficult? It wasn't great under OS 9, but at least there were a few software packages that supported most modern tape devices.
It would be nice if Apple would bundle even a simple backup application with the OS. Something that supported most common backup media (CD, DVD, tape) and had some rudimentary scheduling capabilities. I think this would compel other software vendors to offer something more interesting that what most current Mac "backup" solutions offer.
I guess this is the reality of the majority of Mac users being in the consumer realm. Most consumers either don't do backups or have very simple backup needs. Those with hundreds of Macs to support or in very data-intensive environments will just have to suffer. :(
Paul
A competitor for Retrospect is CharisMac's Backup Mastery for the Macintosh.
Backup Mastery offers scheduled unattended backups and backup scripts, and walks you through the process of backing up your data to a variety of popular media formats including tape, floppy, Optical, Zip, Jaz, SyQuest and CD-R. Backup Mastery will help you restore your data quickly and easily if you do have a data loss problem.
Backup Mastery lets you backup files immediately, or even schedule backups when you aren't there, andgives you the option to only backup files that have been changed since your last backup saving you time and money by eliminating any unnecessary operations.
Backup Mastery Features:
• Works directly with Charismac's Discribe CD mastering software for CD-R backup to virtually any CD-R drive. Lets you backup in your choice of standard CD formats
• Supports virtually all SCSI tape drives
• Supports backup to floppy, Optical, Zip, Jaz, SyQuest or to any mounted volume
• Selective backup capabilities, only backing up selected files, or Backup an entire volume
• Perform immediate backup of selected volumes, folders, files or any combination
• Can backup up any mounted volume
• Schedule unattended, automatic backups, including start up and shutdown if necessary
• Open a Backup Mastery script and execute at any time
• Set backup criteria on a file by file basis including: backup always, backup only if changed, or backup if changed after a specified date
• Restore a backup set in its entirety, or restore selected files
• Supports multiple tape backups for large volumes
• Span backups across multiple tape drives for unattended backups of large volumes
• Accelerated for Power Macintosh (Native support)
• Supports Apple's SCSI Manager 4.3 and System 8.x
• Advanced features on all Quadra and Power Macintosh models, System 7.1 or higher
• Site licenses available for large organizations
• Call for competitive upgrade pricing
For more information, visit:
http://www.charismac.com/Products/BackupMastery/index.html
Just updated to version 3.6 this week, SwitchBack makes it easy and safe to synchronize two disks, so that both contain your most recently updated documents. Simply choose two folders to compare, and SwitchBack does the rest, quickly and painlessly.
The two folders can reside on the same or different disks, or on two computers connected by a network, or even over the Internet. You can ask SwitchBack to tell you in detail what it is doing, or let it go to work, only advising you when there's a problem.
SwitchBack has been designed principally for those people with two computers (especially desktop and PowerBook) who need to ensure that they have the most recent version of their documents available to them.
SwitchBack requires at least MacOS 9.1, but uses the features provided in the latest operating system. It is recommended that you use SwitchBack with the most recent version of the System software (at the time of writing - MacOS 9.2.2 or MacOS X 10.1.2).
System requirements:
• Mac OS 9.1 or higher
or
• Mac OS X 10.0 or higher
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SwitchBack is $30.00 shareware ÂÂ
For more information, visit:
http://webnz.com/glendower/switchback.html
The first backup utility for Mac OS X (works with the legacy OS too) this product is an easy-to-use backup utility, featuring mirror, evolutive or incremental backup, compression, synchronization, and multiple programmed actions. Tri-BACKUP works on Mac OS X, Mac OS 9.x and Mac OS 8.6.
You can create as many different actions as needed, for example to backup your entire disk every week, a special folder every day, to synchronize your customer file twice a day, etc.
Tri-BACKUP also provides "immediate actions" to easily and quickly perform a simple backup or a synchronization, to compare the content of two folders or volumes, or to compress (uncompress) a folder.
Main features
• Immediate Modes: backup, restoration, synchronization, and compression.
• Programmed Actions, to automatically run backup, synchronization, and compression.
• Multiple backup modes: mirror (exact copy), evolutive (exact copy that keeps versions N-1, N-2 dof each modified file), and incremental (only backup modified files).
• Only copy needed files: unchanged files already in the backup are not copied.
• Function to compare two folders, displaying all differences.
• File Protection, with encryption and password.
The latest Tri-BACKUP 3.05 features several improvements. The backup are faster. It is easier to make Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server bootable copies. It can work with Disc Burner (to backup your files on CDs) and iDisk (to backup your files on the Internet). It is free for Tri-BACKUP 3 users.
System requirements:
• PPC
• Mac OS 8.6 or higher with CarbonLib
or
• Mac OS X 10.0 or higher
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Tri-BACKUP is $49.00 demoware
For more information, visit:
http://www.tri-edre.com/english/tribackup.html
Personal Backup offers hassle free backups, offering incremental backup, synchronize, and record keystrokes. Set up your backup routine once from the compact-sized control panel and you'll never have to worry about loss of data after accidental deletions, hard disk failures or other annoying situations. With Personal Backup you can safely back up or synchronize your data automatically without any interference with your work.
Here's what Personal Backup offers:
• Works in the background
Personal Backup runs your backup scripts completely in the background while you are free to work in any application.
• Unattended backups
You can schedule your backup at shutdown, at a specific time during the day or at regular intervals. You can also run a backup procedure instantly by typing a keyboard shortcut or by selecting a script from a special pull-down menu. Personal Backup recognizes any HFS volume like additional hard disks, magneto-optical disks, SyQuest cartridges or floppy disks. All data is copied in Finder format, making it effortless to recover backup files. There is no need to perform complicated restore procedures!
• Synchronization
Personal Backup includes a fully functional synchronization option that allows you to update the most recent items between two volumes. Ideal for PowerBook users, the feature is also handy for managing multiple projects on removable media.
• Keystroke recorder
For complete data protection, Personal Backup includes a keystroke recorder that will automatically create one file per day in which it stores every keystroke you type. It prevents loss of data even when a System error destroys your active files. Data can be recovered using Copy and Paste commands.
Technical specifications
• Performs complete folder and volume backup or synchronization
• Recognizes any HFS volume such as hard disks, AppleShare servers, Magneto-Optical, Syquest or floppy disk drives
• Runs automatically at shutdown, at regular intervals, at preset time or on user's request
• Works completely in the background
• Backs up in Finder format: In case of data loss, you can immediately recover files from the backup copy
• Performs incremental backups: Backs up new and modified files only
• Backs up and synchronizes desktop items
• Runs multi-generational backups
• Handles multiple backup scripts
• Creates an exceptions list for any script
• Lists all backup activities in a log file
• Automatically connects to shared volumes when the backup starts
• Includes a keystroke recorder that creates a daily file of keystrokes typed to prevent loss of data
System requirements:
• Mac OS 7.0 -> 9.04
• 68020 or PowerPC
• 8 MB memory
• 10 MB free disk space
• Screen resolution 640 x 480 or higher
Note: This version is not Mac OS X compatible. Mac OS X version release date
not yet confirmed.
For more information, visit:
http://www.intego.com/products/
Another Backup Alternative coming...
From Mike Mihalik at La Cie
Charles,
Good article today on Applelinks regarding backup alternatives.
LaCie is close to taking off the wraps of another program to consider:
SilverKeeper (coming soon... http://www.silverkeeper.com)
We previewed it to a select few at Macworld SFO, and hope to have it ready by end of February.
Program will be available free to anyone wishing to download it. We will only ask for name and email info. There will be a nominal charge for those wishing an install CD. And of course, it will be included with LaCie products.
I don't expect you to write anything about it just yet, without providing you with a chance to take a look first.
We have NO plans to include any spyware or other things that might make people wary. Our only restriction will be that others cannot distribute the product without our permission.
Program is OS 9 and OS 10 compatible, and will work with any USB, FireWire, SCSI, IDE/ATA, or network volume.
Mike Mihalik
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