Backing up has been historically a pain.
Most of the times I lacked the resources - either I don’t have the hardware or could not quite setup everything seamlessly.
Previous Setup
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Create Synchronicity
Light-weight, backup and synchronise.
I include any folder that needs to be backed up to CS. Schedule the program to run every fortnight or so.
The files are backed up an attached hard-drive, some folders go to OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, or Google Drive folders. -
CryptSync
Light-weight program to synchronize two folders - while encrypting one of them.
This was useful to backup sensitive data to OneDrive and its cousins. -
AOMEI Backupper
Create system backups in an attached hard-drive.
Problem
The setup looks ok - on paper. I was not delighted since -
- I had multiple backups running for some folders - it was messy, and I could (did) not spend enough time to untangle the wires
- Encryption is great, but not quite friendly. I had to download, decrypt (learnt to store passwords in LastPass after I lost the password once), and only then reach to the data
- I also had folders in the cloud backup providers that were directly updated
- Light weight or otherwise - the convoluted structure is not a good arrangement
Solution
Move to Duplicati.
- One platform to backup to NAS, FTP or to OneDrive and friends
- Built-in encryption
- One (browser) window to rule them all (well almost, exceptions apply)
I still use AOMEI Backupper (am still amazed each time I type the name) for scheduled system backups.
My hard-drive misbehaved a couple of times in the last six months, and I did not see myself reaching out to AOMEI System Backup for help. As of now, I have scheduled reminders in Google Calendar to remind me to create (or test) a recovery drive twice an year.
I have learnt to live with this arrangement until I invest in better software (queued up task to purchase either Acronis Backup and Recovery, AOMEI Backupper Pro, or Ashampoo Backup Pro).
Caution: Duplicati is still running Beta on v2.0.
