File Synchronization

**Stalemate** · October 25th, 2004, 08:55 AM

I have been given the mandate of finding a good file synchronization system at work.

We need to sync files stored in the My Documents folder on users who could be connected through LAN, WAN, WLAN and VPN (on broadband).

The system should allow for:

Scheduling
Reporting
Optimal Bandwidth Use

I have access to all the Gartner Reasearch on this but I need to know what the real world is using.

Thanks for your comments.

**Jeff316** · October 25th, 2004, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by a d e p t

I have been given the mandate of finding a good file synchronization system at work.

We need to sync files stored in the My Documents folder on users who could be connected through LAN, WAN, WLAN and VPN (on broadband).

The system should allow for:

Scheduling
Reporting
Optimal Bandwidth Use

I have access to all the Gartner Reasearch on this but I need to know what the real world is using.

Thanks for your comments.

How about using group policy to set the user's Mydocs folder to a network share and using offline files? It would satisfy 1 & 3 though 2 may be sketchy... Still it is free and works great for me.

**Stalemate** · October 25th, 2004, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by Jeff316

How about using group policy to set the user's Mydocs folder to a network share and using offline files? It would satisfy 1 & 3 though 2 may be sketchy... Still it is free and works great for me.

Funny you should mention it, as it is the current system in place.

Some users don't sync at all for months because the process is quite long when hundreds of Mbs are passed through a VPN on Broadband (sync is set to occur at logon and logoff) and we can't make it mandatory because then the apocalypse would occur.

**RejectionMan** · October 25th, 2004, 01:07 PM

Novell iFolder.... but i think it only works with and DNS infrastructure... before that we were having hte user run a batch file when it suited them

**Stalemate** · October 25th, 2004, 01:37 PM

Novell iFolder... interesting.

Works with AD too.

Looking into it now.

**merlinsghost** · October 26th, 2004, 11:03 AM

www.adaptcrw.com

Pricey, but worth it. We use it here at my office/work.

**Stalemate** · October 26th, 2004, 11:44 AM

Dead link?

And I can't intuit the full name of the company from the post.

**Ya_know** · October 26th, 2004, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by a d e p t

Dead link?

And I can't intuit the full name of the company from the post.

I almost thought it was a play on your user name...

**craigmodius** · October 27th, 2004, 05:45 AM

MS 2k3 Server's Shadow Copy?

**confus-ed** · October 27th, 2004, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by craigmodius

MS 2k3 Server's Shadow Copy?

That looks like it'll do it

, but maybe Adept ain't got 2003 yet ? In which case I say this .. !

Man I just tell 'em they are on their own, if they want to use to local storage for stuff .. you are just making it hard for yourself, sod what users actually want , get 'em told ! ,

The whole point of networks & especially domains is the whole 'central unique control' thingymabob, start giving them resources beyond that & you are just making difficulties for yourself & them in terms of versions, backups etc, though I note your comments about impending 'apocalypse'

..Some users don't sync at all for months because the process is quite long when hundreds of Mbs are passed through a VPN on Broadband (sync is set to occur at logon and logoff) and we can't make it mandatory because then the apocalypse would occur...

So maybe do 'suggestion 1' in batches then if you are worried about 'network meltdown' & warn 'em up front ? If you hadn't let 'em get away with this for sooooo long you could have just made this mandatory anyway ?, as said 'works for me'

**merlinsghost** · October 27th, 2004, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by merlinsghost

www.adaptcrw.com

Pricey, but worth it. We use it here at my office/work.

Sorry, it's:

http://www.adaptcrm.com/

I put a w instead of an m. =(

**Stalemate** · October 27th, 2004, 04:47 PM

Thanks for the replies.

I'm not at the office right now but I will look into them all.

**confus-ed** · October 28th, 2004, 03:38 AM

You never indicated whether there was a budget for this ? & that's why the 2003 suggestion got the 'thumbs' from me as if I recall correctly you work somewhere medium to large & so it'll be 'in the works' anyway ? 'Management' I pressume would like this approach, as its just justification to continue to follow Billy's yellow brick upgrade path ?

**Six Eyed Smily** · October 28th, 2004, 06:07 AM

is the vpn to branch offices?

if so you could put a NAS box in each branch office, for the users there to sync with, then get that box to sync with the server when the network is largely unused (such as late at night, or use QoS and set a low priority)

this way you dont have to use additional software, and you can keep the existing system, saving you time (and quite possibly money too) while still keeping the whole thing very centralised

**Stalemate** · November 2nd, 2004, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by confus-ed

You never indicated whether there was a budget for this ? & that's why the 2003 suggestion got the 'thumbs' from me as if I recall correctly you work somewhere medium to large & so it'll be 'in the works' anyway ? 'Management' I pressume would like this approach, as its just justification to continue to follow Billy's yellow brick upgrade path ?

Good question.

We are a MS friendly place, and budget is not an issue.

Reporting features are a must.

The VPN sessions are individual mobile users across the entire country. The branch offices are connected through LAN extensions.

I'm taking a look at ADAPTcrm, but can't seem to figure out how a CRM suite could help me do this. We are already looking at PeoplSoft and/or Great Plains, so another CRM solution is redundant. It looks like the sync portal proposed only works with their suite too.