Backup your web site using ftp, with archive history and rsync (for free for home use)

I've been looking for a way to automatically backup my web site to my local PC using tools that are free, bandwidth friendly, keep revision history (just in case), easy to use, and can be scripted... I think I've found a system that works: Areca Backup with NetDrive

Areca Backup is a (SourceForge) file backup (with revision management) software that supports incremental, image and delta backup on local drives or remote FTP servers. It also allows you to browse your backups and navigate among different versions of the files contained in your archives.

Areca uses an algorithm which is similar to rsync to detect and handle modified parts of your files. This is where the bandwidth savings come in.... if a large file has been changed, only the modified part of the file is transferred from the server to your PC - it's faster and lighter on bandwidth usage.

But, although Areca can send your backup files to an ftp server for safe storage, I couldn't find a way of making it fetch the files from an ftp server.... until now that is.
I tried various backup programs, but all of them had the same problem - it couldn't have an ftp folder as the source (only the destination).

That's when I found NetDrive: NetDrive mounts remote storage as a local (mapped) hard drive on your PC, allows data transfer using drag and drop files in Windows Explorer, and mounts a mapped drive drive automatically when Windows starts.
With NetDrive, managing your remote FTP and WebDAV servers is as easy as managing any file folders on your PC.
Once you mount the local drive, you don't need to run an application or an FTP client interface.
See here for more of NetDrive's features: http://www.netdrive.net/features.html

NetDrive is a bit slower than TotalCommander’s ftp feature…. but at least it works! So, I’ll use TotalCommander to browse and do file operations, but NetDrive to map a drive for the backup+archive app to use.

Areca can handle the following types of backups:
Full Backup: When a full backup is performed, ALL files are stored in your archive (whether they have been modified or not).
Incremental backup: When an incremental backup is performed, only the files which have been modified since the last backup are stored in your archive.
Differential backup: When a differential backup is performed, only the files which have been modified since the last FULL backup are stored in your archive.

See here for more Areca info:
General info: http://areca.sourceforge.net/ and http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Back-Up-and-Recovery/Areca-Backup.shtml
Tutorial: http://areca.sourceforge.net/tutorial.php
FAQ: http://areca.sourceforge.net/faq.php


Download Areca Backup from here [5MB, needs Java v1.4.2 or later 15MB]: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=171505&package_id=196003&release_id=677438
Date: 22 April 2009: Areca 7.1 has been released

Download NetDrive from here [8MB]: http://www.netdrive.net/download.html (name and email address is required)

Other product combinations that I looked at (most not free):
VersionBackup: http://www.versionbackup.eu/properties.html
Comparison of Microsoft Sync Toy and RoboCopy: http://ipggi.wordpress.com/2008/01/21/synctoy-the-gui-alternative-to-robocopy/
TitanBackup with GoodSync: http://www.titanbackup.com/features.html http://www.goodsync.com/features.html
WebDrive: http://www.webdrive.com/products/webdrive/index.html

Updated on Sun 26 Apr 2009:

Save all those important files off site @afrihost.com, daily, automatically:
R39 per month for <1gb>
R69 per month for <5gb>
Backup Space, 448 bit Encryption, 128 SSL Cert Transfer, Powered by Attix5, Data Compression, Incremental Backups, Auto Daily Backups, Secret Encryption Key, Data 100% Encrypted, Backs Up Open Files

First backup can be taken on a memory stick - to save on those bandwidth costs (once off fee of R99)
Awesome support and dedicated support team.

See here for more: Afrihost.com - the Best Web Hosting Ever!

Backup, backup, backup.... you've been told a few times right? Now's the time to start practising safe computing: make off-site backups for free!

In this information era, you don't want to lose your precious and sometimes irreplaceable data.

Loss can occur due to hardware crashes or viruses or theft or accident or acts of nature (eg. lightning)... and the list goes on and on.

Think about it... all your data on your PC lost forever! Maybe you've got a backup CD or DVD from a few days ago or maybe weeks....

Imagine losing your email addresses.

If you don't back up regularly, and you need to retrieve invaluable data, then you might be forced to spend lots of time and money to get data retrieval experts to try and retrieve data off your failed hard drive (and retrieval is never guaranteed).... but if you just use a decent backup program all these headaches would go away!

Even better would be to use a backup program that automatically sends the data off site - so, then you're protected from "occurrences" at your home or office.

Now's a great time to start using the online backup service called MozyBackup:

2 GB of 100% free backup space.... plus, if you sign up this month (Oct 2008) using my referral code: https://mozy.com/?ref=RX6T7F then you get an additional 512MB of storage space for free!

No setup fee, no credit cards, no monthly payments, no expiration.

There are other plans for more data and for businesses that cost per month.

How It Works

1. Sign up for an account.

Create a MozyHome user account which will allow you to download MozyHome software. It’s quick, easy and the step-by-step instructions will guide you through the process.

2. Download and install software:

MozyHome downloads in just seconds, and the installation is simple and fast.

3. Select files to be backed up.

Simply check the boxes next to the backup sets, or types of files you want to back up, and MozyHome does the rest. In addition to selecting files by backup sets, you also have the option of selecting specific files and directories.

{The following is taken from the Mozy web site http://mozy.com/home}

You're Free To Choose - there are of course alternatives to MozyHome:

• Burn a new CD or DVD every Sunday night and store it at your brother-in-law's office.
• Pay $200/year for an online backup service that uses old, mediocre software.
• Buy a $200 external hard drive and hope your office doesn't burn down.
• Do nothing and don't worry about backup. (We suggest closing your eyes, plugging your ears and repeating "I'm in my happy place, I'm in my happy place.")
• Run a cron job of rsync, gzip and mcrypt piped over ssh to your friend's server over his DSL line.
• Of course, we think MozyHome is the best and easiest solution to the backup problem! Get MozyHome!

Mozy is a simple and safe way to back up all the important stuff on your computer. A copy of your data is stored in a secure, remote location for safekeeping, so that in the event of disaster your data is still retrievable.

What makes Mozy so great?
Mozy makes online backup possible for everyone with an affordable, secure solution that's easy to use.

Is Mozy secure?

Yes. When you use Mozy, your files are encrypted on your computer using 448-bit Blowfish encryption and then transferred to the Mozy servers using 128-bit Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. You have the option of using a Mozy key or your own private key to encrypt your data. Note that if you use your own private key, you must be very careful about not losing it because if you do, we won't be able to help. It's impossible for us to decrypt your data when you use your own key. Most users opt to use the Mozy key, but the choice is entirely yours.

See here for the different Mozy products - ranging from free (MozyHome [up to 2GB]) to 'MozyHome Unlimited' (for $4.95 per month) to MozyPro (http://mozy.com/pro Desktop Licenses: $3.95 + $0.50/GB per month; Server Licenses: $6.95 + $0.50/GB per month) to MozyEnterprise (http://mozy.com/enterprise).

See here for a comparison of products: http://mozy.com/landing/pro_comparison

Update on 19July2009:
Tip: 10 free online backup tools: http://ow.ly/hCw8
and don't forget DropBox: http://ow.ly/hCvS & Mozy: http://ow.ly/hCw0 both 2GB free

Update on 15Nov2009:
Here’s a good comparison of the 5 best online backup tools: CrashPlan, Mozy, Dropbox, Jungle Disk, Carbonite.
For additional information, you can check out this comprehensive comparison chart on WikiPedia.
Also on WikiPedia, a list of backup software

Backups of your data online for free [2GB]: MozyHome Free

Hi


Here's a site that I've found that offers free off site backup over the Internet for up to 2GB (for home use)


MozyFree: Free Online Backup: Look for "MozyHome Free".

Click here: https://mozy.com/

[If you can't find the "MozyHome free" then click
here: https://mozy.com/registration/free ]


2 GB of 100% free backup space.
No setup fee, no credit cards, no monthly payments, no expiration.


There are other plans for more data and for businesses that cost per month.


How It Works


1. Sign up for an account.

Create a MozyHome user account which will allow you to download MozyHome software. Its quick, easy and our step-by-step instructions will guide you through the process.


2. Download and install software.
MozyHome downloads in just seconds, and the installation is simple and fast.


3. Select files to be backed up.
Simply check the boxes next to the backup sets, or types of files you want to back up, and MozyHome does the rest. In addition to selecting files by backup sets, you also have the option of selecting specific files and directories.


You're Free To Choose.....


Alternatives to MozyHome

1. Burn a new CD or DVD every Sunday night and store it at your brother-in-law's office.
   
2. Pay R200/year for an online backup service that uses old, mediocre software.
   
3. Buy a R900 external hard drive and hope your office doesn't burn down.
   
4. Do nothing and don't worry about backup. (We suggest closing your eyes, plugging your ears and repeating "I'm in my happy place, I'm in my happy place.")
   
5. Run a cron job of rsync, gzip and mcrypt piped over ssh to your friend's server over his DSL line.

Of course, we think MozyHome is the best and easiest solution to the backup problem! Get MozyHome!


Click here: https://mozy.com/