Recommended backup software?

[howlingmad_wolf]

Looking for a good backup software solution that does scheduled full, incremental, and differential backups.

I am trying to setup all my home computers to backup to a Ubuntu based file server/NAS. There is one Macintosh and All the other computers are windows home premium...so they can't join a domain. Because the computers can't join a domain I would like to avoid server side backup solutions as I don't want to set up accounts on each computer for the server to use!

I already know about Acronis true image, however I would like to know what other options are available. Free is great as log as it is reliable!

 

[Guest]

What is your budget ?

 

[howlingmad_wolf]

What is your budget ?

Acronis is about $65 for 3 computers right now and that is about $22 per computer. That price seams reasonable to me but I would rather people just listed their preferred software, why they prefer it, and how much it coasts.

What I am after is a comprehensive list of what is available. A comprehensive list would be good for me and anybody else who is looking for backup software that can go beyond what windows and/or OS X can do out of the box.

 

[deepanshugahlaut]

You can use Paragon Hard Disk Manager for this purpose.

 

[kelix09]

I am using Todo Backup. I really like it for it's UI and functionality and I'm using it for my regular image backups.

 

[howlingmad_wolf]

QUOTED SPAM REDACTED - SS

I searched reviews on some sites like newegg.com before asking this question. I saw some reviews that said that they had problems when they tried to restore from the backups they had made or that the software flat out stopped working. The problem with these reviews is that you don't know just how tech savvy the people who made them really are. That is why I asked the question hear on Tom's Hardware. This is a community of computer enthusiasts. I don't have much experience in corporate environments as a computer tech so I don't really know much about third party backup software. This is a project that is part learning experience part tech "home improvement" for me.

 

[howlingmad_wolf]

I am using Todo Backup. I really like it for it's UI and functionality and I'm using it for my regular image backups.

In your experience with Todo Backup have you ever had any problems restoring data?

 

[howlingmad_wolf]

Thanks to all who have responded to this. I am guessing that this was not really a good forum question especially sense there is no cut and dry solution.

 

[greenmachine33]

In the past I have used Heatsoft and the last two years I use Allway sync. However I don't think either support MAC, but most newer NAS should have Time Machine support for that.

I want both backup and multiple laptop sync, and I've been happy with Allway but it took some work to get background tasks installed. Every once in a blue moon it just stops, but frankly that has happened less in the last few months. Maybe no restarts in 6 months. You have to get in the habit of checking your log from time to time.

The main think I liked about both of these addresses your question: The backup result is a pure file copy. It creates some custom folders for its own sync magic, but the actual folder and dates remain the same in the target. You don't need the software just to read back the file, or you can restore with simple copy on any CIFS/SMB compatible system. I got bit by proprietary backup formats once, by a small company out of Redmond WA, and I learned my lesson. You should NEVER need a specific hardware or software to access and restore your backup.... IMHO.