Looking for a complete data backup software

[sinspiren]

Hi guys, I am out of ideas now, probably I didn't use the right phrases but google didn't help much.

basically, I am looking for a backup solution that will generate a COMPLETE copy for every X interval. For example, my target folder is ServerA,40BG, and in my backup disk I want to have 2 folder "ServerA on Janurary1ist"40GB, "ServerA on January2nd"40GB, each of them are the same size(assume I didn't change anything), and are ready to run independently at any time . 

 

I see that a lot of backup options are just sort of "sync" that is, replace the changed data and adding new data, I am using Goodsync, which can archive old files but you have to replace them back manually to the original location, can't easily rollback changes or new files either.  

[Kilrah]

Macrium reflect

[samcool55]

Well, what you need to do is take a tool like aomei backupper for example and configure it that it takes a full backup every day. Can easily be done.

 

The reason why you don't find that often is because let's say you have 40 gigs and want to keep backups for up to a month and create them daily, that's 30 times 40 gig, which is 1.2TB of backups for just a 40gig disk which is rarely what you want. Which is why most people go for a combination of incremental and full backups so they have the benefit of recovering to a specific day (if they backup daily) without needing an insane amount of storage.

 

But hey if that's what you want, go for it. It can easily be done.

[The_Geek]

I use a free tool "SyncBack"

I have been using that for a while now, it has schedules, you can setup multiple bachup profiles, and in my experience of a few years, I have found it to work great.

There is a Pro version as well if you want, look it up.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Macrium Reflect (I recommend the free version) is excellent for imaging the System (OS, programs, and games). One can store multiple images so one can choose which point in time one wants to restore to. For this to be most effective, one must segregate the System from one's data, either by having separate partitions for the System and another for data only or by using a separate boot drive for the System and a separate drive(s) for data only.

 

While imaging is essential for backing up and restoring the System, it is too slow and space consuming for backing up data. Instead, I recommend using a folder/file syncing program such as FreeFileSync (FFS) for backing up data (SyncBack is another folder/file syncing program). A folder/file syncing program, when set to Mirror Mode (not the same as RAID 1!), will compare the source drive or folder (the one being backed up) with destination drive or folder (the backup; btw, FFS treats drives the same as folders), then will copy folders and files on the source drive or folder that are not on source drive or folder to the destination drive or folder. Any files that are on the destination drive or folder that are not on the source drive or folder will be deleted from the destination drive or folder (nothing on the source drive or folder ever gets touched). This results in what is essentially a clone of the source drive or folder. Since only new, changed, or deleted files are involved with an update, the process can go by quite quickly.

 

Another feature of many folder/file syncing programs (including FFS) is called Versioning. Versioning, when enabled (which I strongly recommend), will take deletions from the destination folder and send them to a user designated Versioning drive or folder. This helps to protect from losing files to data corruption or accidental deletion.