Data backups to my hosted webspace

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Hi,

I have a shared hosting web service. It’s the top end shared hosting service so it has lots of space and all the bells and whistles. I can create FTP users and restrict them to particular directories and such.

I would like an automated data backup to my webspace. I don’t want to backup whole computers, but my POS software generates a daily backup and I would like it to be automatically saved off-site. I’m not interested in other off-site backup services, just in software that will back it up to my site.

Price is important, features are not.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

–Brian

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If you set up an FTP program with the account credentials, you might be able to drive an upload with a script (e.g., BATch file or VBScript). I no longer use a stand-alone FTP program, so I don’t know which ones have a good command-line interface.

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I tried that a couple of years ago using the FTP program that came with Windows XP and a batch file, but it was too flaky. Maybe I should try it again?

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I would use one that supports SFTP (FTP over SSH) or FTP over SSL. Assuming your backups contain sensitive information.

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Surprising as it may be, I use Winzip for that purpose. It has a triple effect:

1. Dimishes the amount of data to upload;
2. Encrypts the data;
3. It can FTP to wherever you want to and will email you with the results in the end.

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I usef to use Simply Safe Backup, but I expect more modern backup programs like Macrium Reflect will also do this.

cheers, Paul

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Echo all of the above.

Just a note of caution however: some web hosting companies are placing usage restrictions on using web space as data backup because it eats into their ability to sell cloud based backup solutions. Check your T’s & C’s just to be certain.

Also, make sure the backup directory is secured from the public gaze.

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Try the open source FTPbox.

cheers, Paul

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Thanks, Paul. I did install FTPbox. It seems to be exactly what I need. I tested it with a small text file (test.txt, of course) and it worked great. But it won’t transfer anything much bigger than that. It is still in beta, so maybe it will soon…

–Brian

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New information: the developer, John, answered some of my questions. His next release fixes a problem that I think might be limiting me. We shall see. I hope so because then it will be exactly what I need.

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Beta doesn’t mean bad, just a work in progress. As long as you check it regularly you should be able to spot any obvious problems.

cheers, Paul

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Of course. That’s why I’m waiting. My “we shall see” comment was because I’m not entirely sure that the problem he is fixing is the problem I am having. Once his next release is out I will try it and see if it fixed the problem.

–Brian

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Update:
FTPbox will monitor a directory and when a new file appears in that directory will FTP it to another location. The issue I had when I tested it is this: if I put a large file into the directory (my backup at the end of the day) and then restart the system (this is what my employees do every day) FTPbox will not startup automatically. And when I do start it manually it does not recognize the new file as being new, so it does not attempt to upload it. The developer did say he was working on it, but I just downloaded the recent beta release and it is still not working. I am eagerly awaiting a release when this works. It will greatly increase my data security.

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You should be able to persuade FTPbox to start with Windows. Drop a shortcut to FTPbox in the folder “C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersStart MenuProgramsStartup” (in XP).

cheers, Paul

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It’s different in Windows 7. I figured it out, but FTPbox is not cooperating. It also dies with an “exception” when I start it manually. It’s still in Beta. Will wait longer to see if it improves.

(Beta testing used to be when the product was issued to a very limited number of customers after the engineers had completed the product and had thrashed it as best they could. The idea was that no matter how much you tested, the product would experience new challenges when it got out into the real world, so it was best to keep that first issue contained and monitored. Beta test is now what we used to call “development” back when I was an engineering project leader.)

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You can use the excellent SyncBack program from the http://www.2brightsparks.com people for this. This program really is an excellent backup tool. Even the free version supports FTP. Once it has uploaded your files, then the next time you run SyncBack, it will check and compare your local vs hosted files, and only transfer the changes. Amazing stuff. This program is super reliable and I have used it for quite some time.

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Thank you, David. I have downloaded it and will give it a try.

Do they charge for updates? Upgrades?

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