How to sync folders between FreeNAS & Windows7

[cpotter638]

Continuing the FreeNAS project. Next step - syncing.

Goal:
Sync folder containing music between FreeNAS & Windows7 PC.
All changes will be done on the Windows7 client (add music, delete music, change metadata, change volume leveling).
I want all changes on Windows7 client synced to my FreeNAS. As such, I assume FreeNAS would be "pulling" from Windows7 client?


Today, I updgraded from 8.0.2 to 8.0.4 as I read 8.0.3 added "rsync task pulling".

I've enabled Rsync service. Do I have to set up both a Rsync task & Rsync module? Do I need addtional software on Windows7 end (DeltaCopy, Syncrify, etc)? Very confused on how to set this up.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[fisheater]

I looked at heaps of options for win7, open and paid. All pale compared to rsync. Win ports of rsync had permission probs.

This is the best I have found, works very well with some superb features.

Open source, I have no conflict of interest.

http://www.areca-backup.org/

Good luck.

 

[cpotter638]

Fisheater - Thanks for the help.

I installed and played around with Areca. Unless I'm doing something wrong, this is not exactly what I'm looking for. To me, this looks like a backup utilty with file structure. Certainly has its utility. However, I'm looking to essentially mirror a folder on Windows7 client and FreeNAS folder. Similar to Dropbox. But doesn't need to be real-time. "Mirroring" would be done at scheduled times (probably once a day). I was assuming this could be accomplished with Rsync and FreeNas GUI. Both Windows7 & FreeNas folders should contain only MP3 files (not archiving structure). Our home control system pulls from this FreeNAS folder. As such, can't be in an "archive format". Hope I'm making sense here.

 

[mrME]

Have you tried SyncToy? Its free.

 

[Ico747]

Another free utility that I could recomend http://sourceforge.net/projects/freefilesync/.

 

[pirateghost]

look no further

http://synkron.sourceforge.net/

;)

 

[fisheater]

Have a look at this vid, nice summary: http://www.logichaos.com/joomla/guides/video-tutorials/66-areca-free-backup-recovery-program.html

Here are some others I tried.

set it and forget it style:
grsync: http://sourceforge.net/projects/grsync-win/
delta copy: http://www.aboutmyip.com/AboutMyXApp/DeltaCopy.jsp
synctoy: would not set permissions on my server: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=15155
robocopy: same problems with synctoy: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...WTMaPe6pnLX21gS5Q&sig2=HULPbsZWRtIKwTUaThpfnQ

manual compare and copy:
Toucan: portableapps.com/support/toucan - works well, a bit slow because it runs off a USB
Synkron: synkron.sourceforge.net/ - works, but is manual backup
Unison: www.cis.upenn.edu/~bcpierce/unison/ - needs to set up server on receiving OS

paid:
NTI shadow 5 - paid for this, does not perform as advertised. Messy on target HD and does not have continuous backup. http://www.nticorp.com/en/us/product/shadow_5_windows.asp

 

[pirateghost]

synkron can be automated

 

[jamesjim882]

Complex! A little confused....

 

[XeR]

Continuing the FreeNAS project. Next step - syncing.

Goal:
Sync folder containing music between FreeNAS & Windows7 PC.
All changes will be done on the Windows7 client (add music, delete music, change metadata, change volume leveling).
I want all changes on Windows7 client synced to my FreeNAS. As such, I assume FreeNAS would be "pulling" from Windows7 client?


Today, I updgraded from 8.0.2 to 8.0.4 as I read 8.0.3 added "rsync task pulling".

I've enabled Rsync service. Do I have to set up both a Rsync task & Rsync module? Do I need addtional software on Windows7 end (DeltaCopy, Syncrify, etc)? Very confused on how to set this up.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Try "cwRsync"
It's "Rsync of Windows Version".
Just create a batch , do what u want in it. Double click it when you want it.

 

[pete_c20]

I've enabled Rsync service. Do I have to set up both a Rsync task & Rsync module? Do I need addtional software on Windows7 end (DeltaCopy, Syncrify, etc)? Very confused on how to set this up.

You need an rsync service running on the Freenas box, so set that up with an rsync module (not an rsync task). On the windows end run an rsync client. Makesure the windows client knows the name of the rsync module as that's one of the key connection details between the two.
As windows clients go: QTDSync 0.6.18 beta works. I've just used this in testing Freenas out in the last week and its put over about 8 Million files without a problem from an XP box. It has a couple of minor annoying habits to do with defaulting settings but nothing major, it does work pretty well. Easy to setup and I like the option to simplify things and not have to bind the setup to anywhere just use the 'absolute path'.

DeltaCopy & Syncrify look very interesting but I've yet to try. Their website is very straightforward to read and I like that.

I'm reading the rest of rsync client recommendations with interest, might try a few of those out!

 

[jlpellet]

My understanding is that the changes will always occur on the Windows PC. rsync will work but I'm doing something similar with xcopy in a daily batch file launched as a scheduled task with task scheduler. The xcopy command I use, which captures any changes in subdir's, is
xcopy *.* \\FN\Stores\*.* /s /m /y /j (switches 1) include subdir, 2) only modified files, 3) overwrite without prompting, & 4) use unbuffered I/O.
I also redirect the batch file output to a .txt file so I can confirm what was copied. Hope this helps.