Suggestions for automating user data back ups

I'm working on a project for a class that has me developing a disaster recovery plan. I've been able to find some great info on the server side of things, but I dont see much on the user data side. Id like to suggest an automated system (and have several options to compare/contrast) but I am having a hard time finding anything like this.

Anyone have some suggestions for names of companies/software that I could look into?

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TylerBarrett

For my own personal use I've used Fbackup. Haven't really done much in personal/desktop backup, mostly just Server side for what I've done.

--chris--

Is the lack of "user" data backup software on the enterprise level because user data should ideally be stored on servers and therefore included in the server back ups?

@Tyler, thanks for the info.

TylerBarrett

(bit of background, I work at an MSP so I see some business with Domains and some without)

That's what I've found. Most user data is kept in roaming profiles on the server and the companies have deemed that if data isn't in the profile and the system dies and the user loses it then it's considered their fault and they should've known better.

For companies without domains, they usually have NAS that has a USB drive that it backs up to. Desktops use Windows backup to backup their info to the NAS.

Asif Dasl

Yes, you should be using folder redirection so that the my documents, or preferably the entire roaming profile is placed on the server so it can be backed up on the server continuously using shadow copies and/or using a backup rotation scheme.

Backup rotation scheme - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of backup software - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

datacomboss

Mozy for business is a pretty good option. Another is Barracuda, which allows you to backup all of your desktops and servers to a local appliance and then replicate to their cloud storage for $50 per 200 GB.

--chris--

Thank you everyone, I was hitting a brick wall before all of your ideas!

wes allen

DPM has client agents you can deploy. Or, something like crashplan allows you local, remote, or cloud destinations for you back up jobs.

Qord

I personally backup my own user profile to my local file server using robocopy with the /mir flag. Throw it in a batch file and use it as a logon script or toss it in a powershell script and make it a scheduled task. The first copy can take a while, but after that it should only pull changed files over to the destination. For shops on a budget, that's definitely an option.

TylerBarrett

Something else we use at my MSP is Datto for business backups. For the price of a desktop you get a local backup unit and then there is a monthly fee for cloud storage depending on how much data the business has. Not really to do with user specific data but more along the lines of server backups.

--chris--

Qord wrote: »

I personally backup my own user profile to my local file server using robocopy with the /mir flag. Throw it in a batch file and use it as a logon script or toss it in a powershell script and make it a scheduled task. The first copy can take a while, but after that it should only pull changed files over to the destination. For shops on a budget, that's definitely an option.

That is a great idea...great use of scripting btw. It could work in a large environment for VIPs that refuse to learn to use the NAS drives.