Skip Links

Network World

  • Social Web 
  • Email 
  • Close

(Comma separation for multiple addresses)
Your Message:

Something to sync about

By Mark Gibbs , Network World , 07/22/2008
Gibbs
  • Share/Email
  • Tweet This
  • Comment
  • Print

Page 2 of 2

All of this got me thinking about other synchronization uses. I might set up Dropbox such that the shared folder on a Windows 2003 server on my network is monitored by a copy of another tool I really like, GoodSync, a utility from Siber Systems that I last reviewed two years ago.

GoodSync allows you to set up synchronization "jobs" that can be run on-demand or scheduled. The sync process can uni- or bidirectionally synchronize directories and can use any combination of Windows shares, FTP, Secure FTP, WebDAV and WinMobile (via ActiveSync).

I could set up GoodSync to copy files one-way from various subfolders in the server's local Dropbox folder to a server archive folder. These various subfolders would be shared via separate Dropbox accounts on the machines of other people I work with who aren't very computer literate and who shall remain nameless. I'd set up their systems such that critical files (such as accounting data and address books) would be stored in their Dropbox folders, and GoodSync would ensure that copies were archived and always recoverable.

A free alternative to Goodsync might be to use Microsoft's Robocopy, which is part of the Windows 2003 Resource Kit Tool. If you want to try this utility (which is about as user friendly as a cornered rat), you might want to use the optional GUI, which slightly improves its usability.

Obviously there are many ways to, if you'll forgive me, skin this particular cat. What do you use?

  • Share/Email
  • Tweet This
  • Comment
  • Print
Comments (5)
Login
Forgot your account info?

Other sync toolsBy gmartin on July 29, 2008, 9:21 amThere is an open-source cross-platform sync tool called unison http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~bcpierce/unison/ You may want to take a look.

Reply | Read entire comment

Oh, yeah - rsyncBy Anonymous on July 29, 2008, 1:28 pmWhat I failed to mention is that I recently installed a Windows rsync server so I can sync photos & music between my WinXP & Linux box. I used deltacopy server http://www.aboutmyip.com/AboutMyXApp/DeltaCopy.jsp for...

Reply | Read entire comment

DropboxBy Anonymous on July 31, 2008, 11:35 pmApparently Gibbs has never heard of CVS servers and SSH/scp scripts.

Reply | Read entire comment

SyncplicityBy Anonymous on August 4, 2008, 3:07 pmBetter than DropBox. You don't have to keep your files in pre-specified folders.

Reply | Read entire comment

iDisk anyone?By Anonymous on August 25, 2008, 7:57 amFrom the description this (dropbox that is) sounds like what Apple's iDisk has been doing for years, including the sharing and web access part.

Reply | Read entire comment

View all comments

Add comment
Anonymous comments subject to approval. Register here for member benefits.
Have a NetworkWorld account? Log in here. Register now for a free account.

Videos

rssRss Feed