Spec me a tool to backup my PCs to a central location

SiD the Turtle

SiD the Turtle

SiD the Turtle

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Currently I use an online backup service to backup the critical files on my main PC (pictures, documents etc).

What I want to do is set up a process that wakes all the machines in the house, backs up folders on each of them to a central location on the main PC and then let the online backup service backup the lot.

Now I could do it by buying BackupExec or similar, or by scripting something to WOL the PCS and then use Robocopy to sync the data, but I'm sure there must be a more elegant solution.

Any ideas?
 
I think Robocopy will get recommended here. Can you not set your machines to all wake up at a certain time daily or weekly or however often you want to have this backup made? Then set the machines to run the Robocopy scripts.

Have a look in jbloggs' freeware thread and you should be able to find a prog to wake your machines up. Just found this for you. :)

I'm not sure that there is one single program that can do everything you want from waking the machines up to syncing your files. I'd spend a bit of time looking at how you can get your machines to wake and run some Robocopy scripts. :)
 
Windows Home Server has client software that runs backups, and online backup services are integrated into WHS. This would be the more expensive option of course.
 
you can just use robocopy and windows task manager, you can tick 'wake machine to run this task'
 
Thanks for the input guys. I am a fan of Robocopy.

Task manager won't boot from cold though will it? My main PC with all the data on it is an old P4 and doesn't like coming out of sleep or hibernation, so I have to power it down completely when its not in use.

It does however WOL whenever I want it to, which is nice :D
 
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