Recommendations for a temp offsite solution

[Velvis]

I am doing work for a small shop, and they are using booking software that is backing up daily to a local USB connected external hard drive. (it creates a 20GB .bak file at the end of the day) There were some issues with the drive and it's been straightened out. But I had mentioned to them that just having an onsite backup really isn't much of a backup if the place burns down or the equipment gets stolen.

While they understand this, they didn't want a large investment in something because the software is eventually going cloud based.

Is there a way to backup the 20GB file automatically daily to something like Google drive or OneDrive?

 

[HCHTech]

You could certainly have that external drive be backed up by Backblaze. You could run a sync script of some sort to copy it into Onedrive....I'm sure there are lots of options.

 

[thecomputerguy]

Backblaze B2 bucket is about as cheap as you are going to get it. Versioning control might be a problem.

Find a FTP program that allows you to schedule a transfer. As far as I know, FileZilla does not.

 

[Metanis]

If they are already paying for GDrive or M$ 365 it would be very simple to schedule a simple batch script to run at a preset time to save the BAK file somewhere in Documents and then it will get backed automatically to the appropriate cloud.

 

[timeshifter]

I was thinking about OneDrive or Google Drive as a solution, but they’re really just a sync program not really a back up. So if they accidentally or somehow delete the backup files, the copies in the cloud get deleted too.

 

[Sky-Knight]

This is what I use SharePoint for, M365 customers have it already, make a dedicated team, sync it local and aim the software at the correct folder.

Poof, local backup to hard drive sitting in versioned SharePoint ready to roll, and easy to find when the excrement elevates.

 

[timeshifter]

Is that different or better than OneDrive? Seems like the same limitations exist as it relates to accidental deletions or getting cryptoed.

I suppose the version history would save your bacon, even for the deleted files?

 

[Sky-Knight]

Is that different or better than OneDrive? Seems like the same limitations exist as it relates to accidental deletions or getting cryptoed.

I suppose the version history would save your bacon, even for the deleted files?

OneDrive is just a sync engine.
SharePoint is the storage mechanism.

If you pay for "OneDrive" you're getting a SharePoint bucket you can't configure, that has most of the versioning disabled.

So yes, the confusion is understandable, but I said SharePoint to call out the professional storage features available within it, that come with M365 Business Basic and everything above it.

You can't do this on the residential plans.

Onedrive has a rollback for emergencies.
SharePoint has versions, and a recycle bin AND a customizable rollback.

 

[britechguy]

SharePoint has versions, and a recycle bin

OneDrive in Personal and Family also has a Recycle Bin. Content is kept for 30 days after deletion and can be restored just like local Recycle Bin.



Personally, I think it's hair-splitting to worry about "accidental deletion" of a backup on ANY storage media. It can happen, and it can happen whether it's on OneDrive, a local HDD, or anything else.

Since end users are very, very, very seldom dabbling in the locations where backups of any type are kept, it's the technicians that are responsible for them that must exercise due caution.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I'd vote for leveraging 365 too, esp if they have that already. Sure the files are a bit large, but most internet pipes now have decent upload...even just 20 gigs will only take 2-3 hours to shove it up the hill.

Ensure it's set for "Files on Demand" to keep space consumption minimal on the local drive....because if it's barfing up a ~20 gig file daily..that'll amount to something in a few months.