Server backup help

[penguin]

ive been working at a printshop for a few months now.. and the boss kinda put me in control of making sure the server gets backed up to a external hard drive just in case.. (he thinks i know a bunch about computers) anyway.. every month or so i make a little folder on the external hard drive and call it [ex] ppi[backup]8-12 and i drag all the files/folders from the P:\ <-- our server to that folder on the external drive.. today i noticed that for whatever reason.. the folder.. after all the files seem to be transfered.. is only 42.4gb.. where as when i click the properties of the P:\ is like.. 82.1 gb.. am i doing something wrong? .. is there maybe so way there are files on the server that i dont really need.. nor can i see that are taking up another 40gigs?.. is there a way i can check to see that every file from the P:\ is actually making it into my new folders i make? could definately use some help if you guys understand what im blabbering about

[BadAsh]

Look into getting some file synchronization software, it will only copy the files that have changed so you're not constantly copying the entire folder and you can usually set up a schedule so they can do automatic synchronization once or twice a day.

[BadAsh]

try this one: http://www.download.com/Super-Flexible- ... d=10873807

[penguin]

nice, ill give it a shot

[Archangelus]

I agree with BadAsh. You definitely want software that would just synchronize the changes, that way you aren't duplicating files everytime.

I'd actually have some product names for you if I wasn't at work right now. I'll see if I have time tonight or tomorrow to provide some suggestions.

[XoR]

I've had good luck using the backup utility found in WinXP Pro/Server. Type ntbackup.exe in RUN ...

Do a Normal backup first, then incremental backups should suit you just fine, unless you really need a speedy recovery with as little downtime as possible in a disaster situation, to which you would use differentials.

[midnightservice]

i prefer a program called handy backup works great and does synch and full http://www.handybackup.com

[Undead_Mercenary]

Hmm, this might come in handy for me as well. We're getting our own server at work shortly to host the web application I've been working on, and I know backups are going to be very important.

[Archangelus]

Merc, you may want to look at a SVN solution if you're talking about backing up code. That way you can maintain revisions in case you run into any issues with a new change.

Also, there are a lot of good SQL backup utilities to get the DB. Your main backup would really need to be your custom images and vendor code.

[penguin]

another question now that ive been using this file synchroniz0r that badash suggested.... everytime i backup... it seems all of the files on the server have their Date Created and Date Modified's changed to that particular day which isnt a HUGE deal but kind of a pain in the ass when your trying to figure out which one is the oldest or trying to match a date you have on a job ticket to the dates on the server files... is there anyway to make it so it still logs the real day it was created?

maybe theres an option in that program somewhere... the search begins!