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I am interested in creating a server that is similar to the mozy/carbonite, but I want to run it myself. So I will need server software of some sort (we run ubuntu), and client software that runs in the background and uploads data from specified folders as it is changed.

Basically i want to run the equivalent of mozy or carbonite for an internal corporate network.

Clients are all WinXP

9 Answers9

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If all your clients are Windows (XP or newer) I would recommend you with Microsoft Home Server... yeah I know it says "home". Ignore that bit.

This is a dedicated backup and file-sharing server based on Windows 2003. Its not free, but if you've got hardware to throw at it already, you can pick up the OS for around $100 (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VWW8QQ/?tag=hashemian-20). Or you can buy a pre-built "appliance" and add drives as desired (http://www.amazon.com/EX490-Mediasmart-Home-Server-Black/dp/B002N8A0A2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1271861254&sr=8-2).

I just finished setting up a custom build at home and I am really impressed. It really makes backups easy... and disk friendly too. It does some kind of changed-cluster recognition on the client and only stores changed clusters. And it recognizes if clusters are the same across multiple PCs (like files in the Windows or Program Files folder for example) and only stores them once on the server... really saving space on the server. For example, I've got 3 Windows 7 machines. Two are basic installs (~40GB) and the last is ~300GB for my laptop. After 3 complete backup cycles its only taking about about 180GB of server storage total.

Recovery is a snap, I tell the server what backup to mount for recovery... it thinks about it for a bit (it's having to build a "virtual" filesystem from the cluster database) and then you have access to the complete backup image for recovery.

It doesn't sound like you need or want the file sharing stuff, but if you do its cool too... if you place data in a share, WHS makes sure that the data is always duplicated on at least 2 spindles (2 drives... kind of a software RAID 0). That way if you lose a drive you don't lose the data.

Simon Gillbee
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  • My only problem with WHS is that it only supports 10 clients. – sgmoore Apr 21 '10 at 16:48
  • Huh... didn't know that. Probably because I only have 6 clients at home. Good to know. It such a fluent solution based on Windows Server, I'm surprised that MS doesn't release a WSBS (Windows Small Business Server) which solves the same problem similarly, but with additional client support. – Simon Gillbee May 03 '10 at 17:45
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I don't know if you'll find one that does exactly that, but I did some research on network backups there were a few projects that you can check out: Zmanda, BackupPC or Bacula.

emgee
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You might look at CrashPlan, the free version provides unlimited backup by using storage attached to the Internet-connected computers of "friends and family".

You could run the software on your server to provide the storage space (your server is the friend/family) and then also run the software on your "client" machines.

Note: I haven't used it, I've just been researching online backup stuff lately.

Chris Johnsen
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  • I'm not sure why this was downvoted -- it'll do exactly what the asker is looking for. If all the software installations are attached to the same account, any of them can act as a backup destination. CrashPlan also has a client/server Pro version. The server is free, but clients must be individually licensed. – afrazier Apr 21 '10 at 18:13
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You might want to look at rsync or its varients - ubuntu comes with rsync built in and there's a windows port called 'deltacopy' (with its own GUI) and you can back up a chosen set of files incrementally, and restore it. Since rsync is a command line app you can schedule it or design your own gui for it if you're so inclined. Just set up accounts, and you're food.

Journeyman Geek
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You don't mention the number of computers involved or the budget (which could be zero), so this may be overkill (especially if everything is on an internal network) and maybe too expensive, but Ahsay Backup software should do what you need.

Server software should run on Windows or Linux (not sure About Ubuntu) and the client software is java based. Backups can be scheduled or continuous.

They have free trials for the software, and they have an evaluation server where you can log in a play around with it to see how it works.

sgmoore
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I am looking at UltraBac. It appears to have an option to back up to an FTP server that you set up.

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There probably isn't any off the shelf product like that, as if there was everyone would be running backup services for customers. The client and server software that those guys use was all custom written to handle the identification and upload of information to the servers.

mrdenny
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You may want to take a look at FreeFileSync, which is free to use and cross-platform. I use it for Windows, but it is also available for Ubuntu. The most recent release has a RealTime Sync option, but since I've yet to try out this feature on my Windows 7 tablet I'm not too sure regarding how effective it is. The original syncing feature itself works quite well though, I've been using it to automatically upload and backup certain folders in my Tablet PC onto my Ubuntu-based Home Server.

techtechmo
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Check out http://www.cucku.com

It allows you to backup to another computer running Cucku.

It relies on Skype as a transfer medium.

Corey
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