Synchronised online backup?

[John Geddes]

Can anyone recommend an online backup service that does "intelligent"
file synchronisation - ie backs up remote-to-server if remote has the
newer version of a file, and server-to-remote if the server has the
newer version?

I need to help a small charity give two home-based area workers the
ability to access each other's database file (proprietary format imposed
by national umbrella body) in the event that an emergency crops up and
one or other is off ill or away on holiday. They will update "their"
database in the field; the backup needs to happen when they get home and
plug in to Broadband, and again when they log off.

The staff aren't going to be working on each other's files at all often,
so we can live with the need to make sure that they never work
simultaneously on the same database file. The two files will be one or
two Mb only.

Can anyone suggest an online backup service that can:
- handle synchronisation
- be set to re-sync automatically as soon as it is hooked up to the
internet, and again at shutdown

OR - affordable software that would allow them to do this to a
Network-Attached Server in the charity's main office?


John Geddes
England

 

[Opus]

What you are asking may be harder than you realize. The first question is,
what kind of "database" is it?

Opus

 

[John Geddes]

What you are asking may be harder than you realize. The first question is,
what kind of "database" is it?

A bit more digging (prompted by your question) identifies that it is an
Access system - so I guess that I could write my own front-end that
could do the necessary synchronisation. But that takes time that I can't
really spare.

So, my preference is to forget that I am dealing with database files and
treat it a generic synchronisation problem.

 

[Opus]

I agree. I am an Oracle Database Administrator, and one of the most complex
problems that I face in the day-to-day operation of our databases is
replication and synchronization. MS Access is a much simpler matter and can
be dealt with by ignoring the fact that it is a database--as such--and just
work with the underlying data files.

Have you tried Googling the words "online" "file" "synchronization"? There
seem to be some tools there that may server your purpose.

Opus