[SOLVED] Auto syncing of files across a network

[Malc-C]

Hi Guys, need some advice on a problem.

I have a home network comprising of 5 PCs and a NAS. I have an application that has been written in Filemaker and thus the database is contained within the installation folder on the PC the application is installed on.

However I need to have two installations of this application installed on different PCs on the network. So what I'm looking for is a service or applications that can copy that database file to a folder on the NAS, and check for similarity between the two. Then on the second machine the same service / application is running and compares the version between its local copy of the database file with that on the NAS and as it's different syncs the NAS version to PC2. If the database file changes on machine 2, it is synced back to the NAS. When machine 1 is on (both may be on at the same time) it then detects the difference between the file on machine 1 and the NAS copy and updates made by machine 2 by replacing / syncing the file on machine 1 with that on the NAS.

I've looked at multiple solutions that are thrown up in google searches, but most tend to be a simple sync / back up solution between a PC and remote storage, and require the sync application to be run prior to the database application opened. I'm looking for something that can monitor the folders in real time without having a load on the machines.

Any suggestions / guidance would be welcome

Cheers,

Malcolm

 

[Alabalcho]

I'd bet that FileMaker uses proprietary format for its database files, so only Apple knows how to diff and sync two copies. I'd check with them whether anything like this exist, or start reworking your application to use more "standard" SQL DB server which knows how to do that.

 

[USAFRet]

FreeFileSync also has a function for "RealTimeSync"

FreeFileSync

Download FreeFileSync 13.5. FreeFileSync is a free open source data backup software that helps you synchronize files and folders on Windows, Linux and macOS.

freefilesync.org

Now...the issue of both systems on and using the same data file is a whole other issue.
Unless Filemaker actually allows multiple simultaneous access to the same file, you're mostly out of luck.

 

[Malc-C]

Thanks for the reply guys. I'm not sure about the format of the database file, but you can easily copy the database file over itself to update it as the structure etc is all contained within it. I did manage to do a proof of concept using a copy of syncToy, but the process was very manual, and required the previewing and unchecking of all the other files in the folder so that just the database was synced.

In the test I was only working on one copy of the application at a time, so wouldn't know how easy it could get out of sync with two or more changes being made at the same time on separate machines.

I may try that suggested free sync application.... thanks