Free Windows Backup Software: Reliable?

[MysticMooseBB]

At my job we have Linux servers and Windows clients... to backup our servers we have been using rsync (and Amanda for other servers for tape archival.) However, we just got a Windows 2003 server at our new building and to be honest- I have no idea on how to back it up properly without buying some expensive software piece (i.e. backup exec, ghost).

I have read very mixed reviews on the built-in backup utility in accessories -> system tools -> backup and most people seem to recommend not using it for anything important, let a lone critical.

I have not tried cygwin + rsync, but my boss told me he tried a while back on a different project and it was a hassle- so I'm not looking forward to that route.

If anyone has any (preferably) open-source / free Windows client backup software recommendations- that would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Aaron

[unhappy_mage]

Have you seen DeltaCopy (http://www.aboutmyip.com/AboutMyXApp/DeltaCopy.jsp)?

Are you running rsync over ssh or just port 873?

[MysticMooseBB]

Thanks unhappy mage for the response.

I have not seen Deltacopy.

We run rsync over ssh.

[unhappy_mage]

Since you need a tunnel, you won't be able to use DeltaCopy, I think. You can create a tunnel with PuTTY (http://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/0.58/htmldoc/Chapter3.html#using-port-forwarding). You can also do this from the command line (http://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/0.58/htmldoc/Chapter3.html#using-general-opts) (see 3.7.3.5). So it should be possible to get those things to work together. I haven't tried it, but the possibility is there.

[MysticMooseBB]

Well I could open up hole to allow the windows server to use the standard rsync port- I don't see exactly how this will all work right now. Mainly because our backup server is a linux box. Doesn't the deltacopy server need to run on a 2000/XP/2003 box?

I'll have to look into it some more. Its never easy, right?

Aaron

[unhappy_mage]

You might be able to use the DeltaCopy client (it has both a server and a client program, scroll down) but I don't know how you'd establish the tunnel before DeltaCopy fired off. It may be making Windows Scheduled Tasks; perhaps you could modify that to fire off PuTTY before DeltaCopy? I dunno, I haven't used DC before. Just looked useful ;)