[Macpartners] Re: OS X backup recommendations?

[Kerem B Limon]

(Forgot macpartners--sending there also)

(I've CC:'d macosx-help at mit.edu, as there may be some interested there as 
well.)

I recently had occasion to do some research on this, so here goes:

For "simple" point-and-click type backups, you could use

o Dantz's Retrospect Desktop (was Express; essentially the 
"Retrospect-for-one-desktop-user" version) -- commercial
http://www.dantz.com/en/products/maccompare.dtml?sid=23574174d035ee8b

o Mike Bombich's Carbon Copy Cloner -- freeware
http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html

I've used both extensively. Retrospect is nice and has features like 
scheduling, fire-and-forget options, and can use non-traditional backup 
media like CD-R/Ws, DVD-/+R/Ws, etc. However, its own backup lingo may be a 
bit intimidating/confusing. Carbon Copy Cloner just clones your 
installation to another destination disk or disk image--nice thing about it 
is, it's also very easy to restore, and if the user has only one drive on 
which they keep their system and data, it's really a point-n-click deal.

There is also

o LaCie's SilverKeeper -- also freeware despite being from a drive maker
http://www.lacie.com/silverkeeper/

o Decimus' Synk -- freeware
http://www.decimus.net/synk/

o RailHead Design's BackupScript (AppleScript-based front-end) -- freeware
http://www.railheaddesign.com/pages/software/backupscript/backupscript.html

o Howard Oakley's hfspax -- freeware
You can get it at 
http://homepage.mac.com/WebObjects/FileSharing.woa/wa/default?user=howardoakley&templatefn=FileSharing.html&aff=consumer&cty=US&lang=en
There is some preliminary info at 
http://www.stepwise.com/Articles/Technical/Packages/InstallerOnX.html

o Dan Kogai's Psync and PsyncX front-end -- freeware
http://www.dan.co.jp/cases/macosx/psync.html
http://psyncx.sourceforge.net/

o RsyncX, a similar utility based on rscync -- freeware
http://www.macosxlabs.org/rsyncx/rsyncx.html

o HELIOS Xtar -- freeware companion to commercial software, can be used 
independently
http://www.helios.de/news/news03/N_06_03.html

o Bernhard Baehr's shell script -- freeware
http://home.t-online.de/home/bernhard.baehr/

I haven't (yet) tried or played around with these latter ones, but with the 
exception of SilverKeeper, they are really intended to do specific things 
and be installed by the more clueful admin types to do them. PsyncX can 
integrate with Carbon Copy Cloner to do really cool stuff, but I think that 
may be also beyond what you are looking for. I should also note that I've 
heard of some problems (nothing specific, though) about SilverKeeper.

So, my best guess is Carbon Copy Cloner, then SilverKeeper if you're 
looking for something free. Retrospect for something more automated (at 
least as-is out of the box) and don't mind paying.

Cheers,
Kerem

PS: Was this info useful to you? If so, please make a note--I accept 
consulting referrals :) Let me (or them) know if someone's looking for help 
with their computer(s)!


At 04/03/08 14:06  Monday, Gurukarm Khalsa wrote:
>One of my users is interested in backup software for his personal 
>(non-MIT-owned) Powerbook. Does OS X incorporate a backup function? Does 
>anyone have any particular recommendations on something relatively easy to 
>use for a literate (not phobic) user? And lastly, is TSM available to use 
>in this situation? (presuming he works out the payment piece with his 
>supervisor and has an account number to use.)
>
>Thanks!
>Gurukarm
>--
>........................................................................................
>Gurukarm K. Khalsa              MIT Dept. of Biology
>Computing help in Building 68   biocomp at mit.edu
>........................................................................................