Which backup software to suggest for NAS ?

[eugeneg]

Please share your favourite software to recommend people use to backup their Windows files to a NAS device.

I have been using GFI backup but the best version of that is now 4 years old and doesn't take care of consolidating old backups so space will eventually fill and backups fail.
I like CrashPlan but the hack to make it work over a network (mounting the network share as a task by System) does not work for me.
SynchBack is great for techs but regular Joe's find the recovery interface daunting.
MS backup (pre v8) doesn't even allow network copies.

Ideally the program should be freeware, easy to use, available for easy download when the computer dies. I don't like using the software that comes with the NAS device as when that hardware fails it is sometimes hard to retrieve the data from the compressed form; also, it means I have to learn and remember countless user interfaces.

 

[Martyn]

I use Synology NAS's and they come with their own client software Synology Data Replicator 3 using native file and folder transfer.

 

[eugeneg]

I'm setting up a Synology NAS right now. Currently puzzled why I can only write at 8 MBps (RAID 1). None of the normal pinch points seem stretched at all.

Back to topic, using their own backup software is fine as long as the installation source is available in years to come and I can find my way around it.

 

[4ycr]

I have used Fbackup before but not used it in a while or genie9 have a free version

 

[Martyn]

I have used Fbackup before but not used it in a while or genie9 have a free version

FBackup is one I recommend as a standalone free one. Set it to mirror mode and it will just mirror the directory structure as is to the drive. It always does a full backup on the free version, the paid version will do incremental etc as I remember.

 

[drpcfix]

Windows has ntbackup built it, or newer has windows backups..

cobian is nice for a hacky little need

and for the hijack - we had network speeds with jumbo frames enabled on synology.

also some types of encryption - try turning off password security just for a speed test.

 

[eugeneg]

Thanks to all. I tried out all suggestions and will be recommending Cobian to those who ask my opinion. The key determinants were

• Easy enough to use but with advanced features accessible for those who want
• Does Incrementals
• Does work over a network
• Free
• Not tied to a particular hardware

I'm not sure how to handle destination space full with Cobian yet.
Again, thanks for the suggestions.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I'm not sure how to handle destination space full with Cobian yet.
Again, thanks for the suggestions.

That was a show stopper for me ever using it, it had no method of over-writing after X amount of copies/time has passed. Absolutely crippling design to lack that feature.

 

[eugeneg]

That was a show stopper for me ever using it, it had no method of over-writing after X amount of copies/time has passed. Absolutely crippling design to lack that feature.

So instead you use....

 

[Martyn]

I'm setting up a Synology NAS right now. Currently puzzled why I can only write at 8 MBps (RAID 1). None of the normal pinch points seem stretched at all.

Back to topic, using their own backup software is fine as long as the installation source is available in years to come and I can find my way around it.

You can use any client software I would have thought and just map the NAS. In fact I've just found an issue with the Synology Data Replicator software and am going to try something else later today.

 

[HFultzjr]

I have used Fbackup before but not used it in a while or genie9 have a free version

+1 for Genie Timeline.

Set it....forget it.

It will alert them if it's been x amount of time since last backup.

Try and find an older copy of Genie Timeline 9. The free version has more features than the newer version. The new one isn't bad, I just prefer the older version.

Customers just LOVE being able to back in time and get a lost, deleted, forgotten, etc. file.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Check out cobian again. As far as space management, I think you can tell it to keep x amount of full backups. Didnt like their incremental feature, but just doing a full backup and tell it to keep 2 copies or so seems ok. Kind of wish ms didn't kill ntbackup. That application is still great. In fact, I think someone figured out how to make it work at least to windows 7. Might google it and see.

 

[JustInspired]

Ditto on Cobian. I use it a lot. Has a lot of features and will email me log files from clients machines as I have it set to email me and/or the client on failure.
Manages space via X amount of full backups etc.
Can perform any number of tasks pre or post backup including closing programs, like Outlook for example before backing up a PST file etc.
Backups to FTP server, compressed or not, encryption or not... and the list goes on. It's come a long way and is easily one of the best free backup programs, ideal for clients on tight budgets.