Evaluating SFFS: How to synschornize with a pendrive?

[tslim]

Hi,

I am evaluating SuperFlexible file synchornaizer V5.35d (Windows) and I have a synchornizing scenario where I wonder how to do it:

I have files from folders of multiple harddisk drives that I need to synchronize between my PC at home (running WinXP) and PC at Office (running MS Server 2008). Due to the slow internet connection between the two locations, I decide to use a pendrive as the synchronizing medium in between.
i.e. I might change those files at home... if I do, I will synchronize them to those on my pendrive and use the pendrive's copy to synchronize the files in my office PC and vis versa.

My question are:
1. For the above scenario, should I run SFFS from my Pendrive?
2. The folder structure are the same in both PC (at home and office) but the drive letters could be different. So how do I create a synchronize profile for the above scenario?

Just in case, see the attached image for the mentioned scenario.

[superflexible]

Hello,

you can run the software from the pen drive, but it is not necessary. I would recommend to keep the configuration file on the hard disks and to create the jobs for home and office separately.

Each job is just a synchronization with a foler on the pen drive. The program does not have to be aware that another computer is also synced with the same pen drive.

On the pen drive, you need to create a separate folder for each job. If the drive letter is always P:, you can use that. But if the drive letter changes occasionally, you can use the pen drive's volume label instead. For example, you can use PENDRIVE:\ instead of P:\.

You need a separate profile (job) for each of the four tasks. However you can run them all with a single command or click from the Profile Overview.

If you also need to be able to delete files and have those deletions propagate to the other computer, you need to use the SmartTracking operating mode and configure it to handle deletions.

You home jobs might look like this:
Job A
LEFT: C:\Program Files\AAA
RIGHT: P:\Program Files\AAA

Job B
LEFT: C:\Program Files\BBB
RIGHT: P:\Program Files\BBB
File Mask: *.PRG

Job C
LEFT: I:\FFF
RIGHT: P:\FFF

etc.

And the office jobs would be similar.

[tslim]

Hi,

Thanks for the answers and tips!

You are suggesting me to install SFFS in both PC then create a group of profiles in each of them which synchronize with the same target (in the Pendrive). Am I entitle to install two copies of SFFS if I only purchase a license (Pro edition for Windows)?

Btw,
I foresee that I will have quite a number of application orientated backup using SFFS (i.e. I will need N different set of backup for N different applications). However, if an application involves multiple drives or multiple folder-trees, I will need to create a "group" of profiles/jobs for it. That means in the worse case scenario, I could have up to N groups of profiles (for N applications). Is it possible to/ how do I create a shortcut so that I can click it to execute backup of all/some of these N groups of profiles?

Also, I couldn't find enough info about Zipping of SFFS (from the F1 help), may I ask the below just for some quick answers:
1. Is there no way for me to control compression ratio if I backup to zip file(s)?
2. For Zip Package, if I don't tick the option "Use Profile name for Zip file name", then what name will the zip file be?
3. My concern is, for some of my applications, I will want to keep only N (say N=3) different copies of backup as zip package. I suppose I should use the settings in the "Versioning" in order to keep N copies of zip files, but the user interface is confusing me and I find no info regarding how to setup "Versioning" Vs "backup to Zip Package".

[superflexible]

You are suggesting me to install SFFS in both PC then create a group of profiles in each of them which synchronize with the same target (in the Pendrive). Am I entitle to install two copies of SFFS if I only purchase a license (Pro edition for Windows)?

Yes, and it can be used on one computer at the same time.

You may be able to combine a lot of the profiles into one by specifying the common parent folder, such as C:\Program Files, and selecting the subfolders in that profile. It's not easy to have an application-specific file mask then, but maybe copying a few files more than actually needed is better than having lots of profiles. You can however type paths with masks in the Inclusion Masks field, such as \Program 1\*.PRG. If you want to do that, you need to select the subfolders of Program Files and also type each folder with mask in the masks field.

Is it possible to/ how do I create a shortcut so that I can click it to execute backup of all/some of these N groups of profiles?

Yes, for example the command line C:\Program Files\SuperFlexibleSynchronizer.exe /RUNX=Group* starts all profiles whose name starts with Group. But use C:\Program Files (x86) on a 64-bit Windows. You can also use multiple /RUNX="Profile Name" parameters. See also http://www.superflexible.com/docprofi.htm.

1. Is there no way for me to control compression ratio if I backup to zip file(s)?

No, but you can exclude file types from being zipped on the Program Settings dialog.

2. For Zip Package, if I don't tick the option "Use Profile name for Zip file name", then what name will the zip file be?

I think it is named Backup + timestamp etc. But you cannot use Zip packages for your purpose. All files must be zipped individually so that they can be seen as separate items on the pen drive. Otherwise you can't do a two-way sync. Zip Packages are one way only.

Also, the Versioning options apply only to individually zipped files. As opposed to Zip Packages, which will just pile up indefinitely.

[tslim]

You are suggesting me to install SFFS in both PC then create a group of profiles in each of them which synchronize with the same target (in the Pendrive). Am I entitle to install two copies of SFFS if I only purchase a license (Pro edition for Windows)?

Yes, and it can be used on one computer at the same time.

I don't get you?
Do you mean I can use it on both computers at the same time?

But you cannot use Zip packages for your purpose. All files must be zipped individually so that they can be seen as separate items on the pen drive. Otherwise you can't do a two-way sync. Zip Packages are one way only.

Also, the Versioning options apply only to individually zipped files. As opposed to Zip Packages, which will just pile up indefinitely.

For zip packages question, I am thinking of future scenario than the one I have mentioned initially.
So, would you please give me some quick clues as how could I create a profiles that produces a zip package at its destination monthly and keeps only 12 copies of different zip packages per year?

Btw, I am about to purchase a license for SFFS Pro, but I still need to test SFFS's ability and stability to start its scheduler as a service in MS 2008 Server (at my office)

[superflexible]

Do you mean I can use it on both computers at the same time?

With the Single User License, you can keep it installed on two computers but use it only on one at any moment in time. So if you use the pen drive to sync between work and home, that's fine with a Single User License. But if you have additional jobs that run by scheduler on both machines, you may want to consider the Family Pack. You will find the various license types and pricing when clicking a few pages into the ordering process.

So, would you please give me some quick clues as how could I create a profiles that produces a zip package at its destination monthly and keeps only 12 copies of different zip packages per year?

Such a feature is not available. ZIP Packages will never be cleaned out. You have to do that manually.

[tslim]

So, would you please give me some quick clues as how could I create a profiles that produces a zip package at its destination monthly and keeps only 12 copies of different zip packages per year?

Such a feature is not available. ZIP Packages will never be cleaned out. You have to do that manually.[/quote]

One last question:
Am I right that, the above means if I were to maintain 12 set of backup per year I must choose to use individual file zipping and I will use the "Versioning section" of SFFS to specify that 12 set of backup per year?

[superflexible]

Am I right that, the above means if I were to maintain 12 set of backup per year I must choose to use individual file zipping and I will use the "Versioning section" of SFFS to specify that 12 set of backup per year?

No. This feature works differently.

With individual file zipping, you can only specify the number of older versions per file. For one file, these versions may cover a period of over a year, while for another one it could be just the last 12 days or less. It all depends on how often the file is changed.

I think for your backup purpose it's best to use ZIP Packages and once every year, you should archive them manually.

Of course next to the monthly backups you also need daily ones, or a constant mirror. Plus I also recommend online backup with some storage space on the Internet, such as any FTP or WebDAV space or Amazon S3 or Microsoft Azure storage.