Automatic synchronization Windows folders allows you to organize and maintain 2 identical directories. The files are copied to a neighboring computer via local network or to another company office via secure SFTP (SSH) protocol . When you add or change data in one folder, all changes will be reflected in the other.

So, we assume that you have a main working directory at home or work, located on a local or network machine, and there is a need to automatically copy (mirror, deliver) files from it to another location: to a flash drive, external HDD(hard drive), over a local network, to a remote server via FTP or to the Yandex.Disk cloud.

Folder synchronization is the process of periodically mirroring (mapping) source files to a destination. The source data and the destination directory will always be exactly the same in both quantity and size of data.

This task is easily accomplished by a small, but very convenient program for synchronizing folders and files Exiland Backup, which allows you to create 4 types backup copies , one of which is the ability to mirror data in Windows.

Sync files on local network and via FTP(synchronize) is only a small part of the capabilities of Exiland Backup. You can see the full list of features on the version comparison page. In this article we will not dwell on them, but will only consider how to set up mirroring between computers. This function will be of help to both system administrators and home users.

Exiland Backup - a simple solution for synchronizing files and folders

Simple utility Exiland Backup allows you to automatically perform one-way synchronization of folders on a schedule (no more than once a minute). Quickly and thoroughly compares the contents of the source data with the target folder and brings them into compliance. This is especially convenient for periodically delivering files from one branch of an organization to another via FTP. Several directories can be specified as the source directory.

ATTENTION. When adding, changing or deleting source files, all changes are also reflected in the final directory. If you delete data from the source, it will automatically be deleted from the destination. If you don't need to delete files from the destination folder, select the appropriate option.

Exiland Backup provides various settings for smart synchronization of folders on the local network, on one computer, and in the cloud. For example, a program can copy both all data and selectively according to a given mask, attributes and specified subfolders.

TO additional features can be attributed such as:

• Maintain a detailed log showing which files were added, updated and deleted.
• Possibility of sending the log by e-mail or notification to mobile phone in the form of SMS.
• Flexible setup schedules.
• Copying starts automatically when Windows starts, when you connect a flash drive or other removable device.
• Running a job from command line(command line).

Step-by-step setup wizard

So, let's look at an example of how to configure Exiland Backup for mirroring.
Suppose we need every 3 minutes from 8:00 to 21:00 synchronize "C:\Documents" with all subfolders from the local computer where the program is installed to the remote machine "NAS-Server" in the shared folder "\\NAS-server\Backups\Documents".

Launch the backup program. In the upper left corner of the main program window, click the create a new task button - a step-by-step wizard will appear.

Step 1: Job Name

Enter any name for the task, for example “Mirror of working documents” and click “Next”.

Step 2: Backup Type

Specify the type – “Synchronization” and click “Next”.

Step 3: Initial Data

Specify which source data you want to mirror. This can be the path to directories on a computer, flash drive, server or cloud.

To do this, click “Add -> Local/network folders and files...”, specify the path to “C:\Documents” on your PC and click OK, after which a window for selecting folder options will appear.

Here you can leave everything as default and immediately click OK.

Step 4: Destination Folder to Sync

Select the path to the final destination directory, in in this case"\\NAS-server\Backups\Documents", and also specify the login/password to enter network folder, if access to it is limited.

If you need to mirror data to remote computer via FTP, then select FTP when setting up the destination folder.

There can only be one final directory!

Step 5: Schedule the task

To specify the schedule for running the task, click the "Edit" button and in the window that appears, specify the schedule type "Daily", then select the time. Click "Edit" to the right of the "Time" field, then click the "Add" button, select "Periodically" and specify "Every 3 minutes" with at a given interval: from what time and until what time to repeat synchronization (in our example from 8:00 to 21:00). Ready. Click OK several times until all previously appeared windows are closed.

Step 6: Notification

Leave everything as default and click “Done”.

The task has been created!
For a customization proposal additional parameters For now, answer “No.” Later you can always return to the settings and change them.

The program has an intuitive, well-thought-out interface and is recommended for synchronizing files between Windows servers, between different computers, as well as between branches or divisions of an organization via SFTP (SSH).

In addition to the paid versions Standard and Professional, there is also a free one, Free, which you can download to evaluate its capabilities on your files. If the program is suitable for solving your problems, you can purchase a Standard or Professional license and become a full registered user with all the benefits of the paid Standard and Professional versions, which are much more functional and include priority technical support, Personal Area and a number of other advantages.

Today my story will be dedicated to data synchronization programs between PCs and we will not be talking about cloud services, although some of the utilities provide such an opportunity. Those users who are interested in “clouds” like Dropbox, let them go to the article, and we will look at programs for creating local copies of files and folders between user computers (on USB HDD, flash drives, on a local network, etc.), without resorting to help from a remote server. This solution is suitable for people who doubt the safety of their data on the cloud service and its servers, located in an unknown location. Let's remember at least one of Apple founders— Steve Wozniak, who prefers to store data locally on the device, ignoring iCloud. It is precisely such users that this article on data synchronization will be devoted to.

GoodSync

For example, the GoodSync utility is so versatile that it can work both as a regular backup program and as an intermediary between the local PC and cloud services for synchronizing data, and also as a tool for working with files on two computers, making changes to the data if they were made on any of the 2 PCs. Accordingly, you will always work with the current file. The connection between the user’s computers is carried out directly, using the GoodSync Connect function, that is, without the use of cloud services.

For the program to function properly, install it on those machines where you need data synchronization. To avoid confusion, each task has its own type - backup or synchronization. In the second case, changes in files from both computers or media used will be tracked. Other PCs with installed program GoodSync, your FTP server, computer from your home network or services that support the WebDAV protocol, and the following cloud services: Google Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive, Windows Azure, Amazon S3 and Amazon Cloud Drive.

Having decided on the data source and storage location, you can analyze the files in the folders that you selected directly in the GoodSync program window so that you don’t miss anything before synchronizing. If you find identical or similar files, by comparing them, you can choose the direction (from where) to copy them.

For those who like task automation, you can set up a data synchronization schedule with your PC. For example, before shutting down your PC or at a certain time. GoodSync can independently re-record old file its new edition if necessary. If you have doubts about the correctness of file transfer over the network, the program allows you to compare the checksums of files.

14 Mar

Good afternoon, dear blog readers! Today we will look at what seems to be the simplest operation - synchronizing folders with files. Basically, we are accustomed to the fact that the concept of synchronization applies to the Internet. Our mobile phones are constantly synchronized with Google and Apple services, work applications and a bunch of other things. Convenient, fast and safe. But what to do if you just need to synchronize two folders within the same computer?

Unfortunately, I did not find a standard procedure (except for writing a script in PowerShell). But a simple solution was found - the SyncToy program from the authors of the operating system itself Windows systems. This is what we will use to set up synchronization. The only negative is the English language. This is not so critical - you will see further that the settings are minimal.

The program window looks very simple:

To start synchronizing, you need to create a pair of synchronized folders - “Create New Folder Pair”. Click and go to the next window.

The left folder (main according to the standard) is where we will upload files. The right folder is where we will add them. I have two folders: SCAN (documents from the scanner arrive there) and the “For Everyone” folder (people go here to view documents). I need new files to fly from the “SCAN” folder to “For everyone” on command. Select accordingly and click “Next”.

In the next window you need to select the type of synchronization, there are three options to choose from:

• Synchronize— two-way synchronization, if an object is added to any of the folders, it will “fly” to another folder when synchronizing, deleting and renaming files will be performed for both folders;
• Echo— one-way synchronization, only from the left folder to the right, just my option, renaming and deleting files in the same direction;
• Contribute— one-way synchronization, only from the left folder to the right, renaming works from left to right, there are no file deletions.

Place a dot opposite the desired option and click “Next”.

In the next window you will need to specify a name for the created pair of folders and click “Finish”.

The program's start window will change slightly. The name of the created pair of folders will appear on the left, and two buttons “Preview” and “Run”, “Preview” and “Run” will appear at the bottom right. They differ in function - “Preview” will show what will change, “Run” will synchronize folders.”

If you click “Preview” the following window will appear. For the purity of the experiment, I cleared the “SCAN” folder and put only one file “stores.xlsx” there. There is one file in the folder (it is marked with a checkmark), a window with the “New” operation is shown at the bottom left ( new file), the synchronization direction and the “Run” button are displayed at the bottom.

After clicking “Run” the window will be as follows.

“Completed” status and “Close” button. Synchronization is completed, all that remains is to check the result.

In the "Everyone" folder, two files are displayed - "stores.xlsx" and the synchronization file. Do not delete it under any circumstances! Works!

If you need to add a new pair of synchronized folders, in the main program window, click the “Create New Folder Pair” button and specify the desired settings.

After.What.was.said.

Automatically starting synchronization through the task scheduler is in the help window, but my advice to you is to do it manually, since the choice of time task scheduler is very poor.

Categories:// from 03/14/2018

Many users today have to work not on one, but on two or even more desktop computers (at least at work and at home) - in practice, this automatically means the need to synchronize all work materials. In this regard, it is even more difficult for mobile employees, because, among other things, they cannot do without a portable PC such as a laptop, netbook or other type mobile computer. This means that they need to ensure that their files are also synchronized on mobile devices in order to avoid endless problems with versions of documents and projects, the resolution of which will require a lot of precious time.
Of course, you can regularly manually copy updated files to all computers - work, home and mobile. However this is not The best decision, because copying and rewriting operations will have to be performed daily. It is much faster and more reliable to synchronize data using a suitable utility or online service for synchronizing files. We will consider several such solutions in this article.

Synchronization Basics

To synchronize data, users can use both specialized utilities and web services. Both monitor the contents of specified folders located in different places (for example, on two different computers), and synchronize the data in accordance with the selected method.

There are many options for syncing files. It is most convenient if the computers are connected directly to each other via a local network, infrared port or the Internet. In this case, data synchronization is carried out in just one step - essentially, by pressing one button in the window of the corresponding program. If there is no direct connection, then the data can be synchronized using an intermediary device, which is used to transfer information between two computers. A flash drive can act as such a device, external hard disk, folder on an FTP server, etc. In this case, the data is synchronized in several stages: first, the files are packaged from one computer and sent to an intermediary device, after which this data is received on another computer, due to which synchronization is carried out.

All of the above is true when using utilities. As for web services, when synchronizing through them, there is no need to directly connect the synchronized devices to each other, since the selected folders on a computer or laptop are synchronized with user data located in the online storage. This means that documents updated during work are automatically backed up in such a repository.

Since data must be synchronized regularly (usually daily), this process it is more convenient to automate - for example, analyze and synchronize files according to a set schedule or when certain events occur (for example, when connecting a removable drive, starting the system, or when updates appear in synchronized folders). If necessary, for example when processing large volumes of information, it is wiser to ignore some files during synchronization (usually it makes sense, for example, to exclude system and hidden files), which will reduce the time required for data processing.

File synchronization programs

There are many utilities for synchronizing files on the market - among them there are both paid and free solutions, and a whole range free products It has sufficient functionality to meet the needs of the average user. As examples of such utilities, we will look at ViceVersa, GoodSync, Allway Sync and FreeFileSync.

As a rule, specialized utilities perform synchronization very quickly and are easy to use, since most often it is enough to configure the operation parameters once and automate this process - in the future, the programs will independently monitor the situation and synchronize files in a timely manner.

Synchronization does not cause any difficulties. First, create a new task, specify two folders in it - source and target, and, if necessary, define file filtering conditions. Then start the process of analyzing the contents of folders by clicking on the button Analysis. The result of comparing data in the source and target folders is displayed on the screen, indicating new, changed and deleted files(Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. The result of the analysis of monitored folders in GoodSync

After this, you can manually start data synchronization (button Synchronization), however, it is more convenient to configure the program to automatically perform the operation. For this purpose, open the scheduler built into the utility and determine the synchronization time or event, upon the occurrence of which the program should start analyzing and synchronizing files (Fig. 2).

Rice. 2. Setting up automatic synchronization in GoodSync

It is worth paying attention to one nuance. When automatically synchronizing files to a portable storage device (for example, a flash drive), a disk recognition problem may occur. It is more convenient if file processing starts automatically when a unique device is connected, however, any USB drive when connected will appear under the same letter, which will lead to synchronization errors if another flash drive is inserted. In order for the program to correctly recognize required disk, you need to manually change the path to the device, replacing the drive letter with the volume label (=VolumeName:\folder1\folder2 - Fig. 3). It is easy to set the appropriate volume label for a specific disk in the properties using Windows Explorer. Using these settings ensures that the desired portable drive is detected, regardless of the drive letter assigned to it.

Rice. 3. Replacing the drive letter with the volume label
in GoodSync

ViceVersa

Developer: TGRMN Software

Distribution size: Pro - 3.4 MB; Plus - 1.1 MB; Free - 708 KB

Work under control: ViceVersa Pro 2.5 and ViceVersa Plus 2.4.2 - Windows (all versions); ViceVersa Free 1.0.5 - Windows XP/Vista/7

Price: Pro - $59.95; Plus - $34.95; Free - free

ViceVersa Pro is a well-known solution for synchronizing, backing up and replicating files and folders (Fig. 4). It can be used to synchronize data between desktop computers, laptops, file servers, external media(hard drives, USB devices, ZIP drives, etc.), NAS, etc. This is implemented over a local network, via the Internet and using any external storage devices.

During synchronization, parameters such as file size and file creation date/time, checksums, or a combination of these parameters are analyzed. It is possible to include/exclude when analyzing subdirectories, as well as separate files taking into account their attributes (hidden/system/read-only) and masks. Allows synchronization and backup of files opened and locked by applications, including Outlook and Outlook Express, Word documents and Excel and databases SQL data. Data synchronization is performed manually on demand or automatically - according to a schedule (for example, daily at a strictly defined time). To save money disk space and ensuring the security of data on any medium, the program provides tools for compressing and encrypting files.

The utility is available in three editions: free(http://www.tgrmn.com/free/) and two commercial ones - basic Plus and advanced Pro. The free edition's capabilities are limited to comparing and synchronizing files in folders (including subfolders) between floppy drives, hard drives, and network drives, as well as ZIP and CD discs; synchronization is performed manually. The Plus edition allows you to work with USB drives, hard and network drives, as well as DVD/CD, provides the ability to synchronize/backup open/locked files and can be configured to work on a schedule. The Pro edition supports all the functionality declared by the developers.

GoodSync 8.8.6

Developer: Siber Systems, Inc.

Distribution size: 7.15 MB

Work under control: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7

Price:$29.95

GoodSync is a convenient and simple tool for synchronizing and backing up files (Fig. 5). The program allows you to synchronize files between desktop and laptop computers, removable drives and servers, as well as back up important data to various media (including FTP and WebDAV servers). In addition, it is possible to synchronize files between Windows devices Mobile Phone or Pocket PC (Windows CE) and desktop computer. Synchronization can be carried out directly between computers (on a local network or via the Internet from FTP, WebDAV and Secure FTP servers) or by connecting any external storage devices (USB drive, external HDD).

Data analysis is carried out taking into account the date/time of modification of files or their size. During the analysis, hidden and system files, you can configure the inclusion/exclusion of files with names that match a certain mask, as well as files of a certain size or with a certain modification time. It is possible to synchronize locked files using the Volume Shadow Copy service. To automate the synchronization process, tools are included to start synchronization on a schedule, and when certain events occur (for example, when connecting a computer to a local network, when connecting a removable drive to a computer, or when starting the system), it is possible to use Windows scheduler. In order to increase security during remote data synchronization, file transfer over an encrypted channel has been implemented (FTP over SSH and WebDAV over SSL), and for backup it is possible to use encrypted file system EFS (Encrypting File System).

The program has a demo version that is fully functional for 30 days. In the future, it can be used by home users and non-profit organizations completely free of charge, but with restrictions - you can create up to three synchronization jobs, including no more than one hundred files. There is a special portable edition of the utility - it appears under the name GoodSync2Go and is intended for installation on USB drives.

Allway Sync 11.6.1

Developer: Botkind, Inc.

Distribution size: 6.9 MB

Work under control: Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008/7

Price: depends on license: Pro - $29.99; Free - free (for non-commercial use only)

Allway Sync is an easy-to-use utility designed to synchronize and backup files in folders (Fig. 6). The program provides data synchronization between desktop PCs, laptops, external hard drives, USB drives, FTP/SFTP servers and various online data storage facilities. Information analysis and updating are carried out over a local network, via the Internet and through external storage devices (flash drives, external hard drives etc.).

The latest versions of files are detected based on a combination of file attributes, file size, and creation time. In order to narrow the list of analyzed files, it is possible to include/exclude synchronization objects taking into account the file location, name and attributes (only include/exclude hidden/system files). Synchronization can be carried out on demand and automatically - after a certain period of time, when a removable device is connected, when the computer is idle, etc.; You can use the Windows task scheduler.

The program is offered in two editions: free and commercial Pro. The free edition allows you to synchronize no more than 40 thousand files within a 30-day period. There is a special portable edition of the utility designed for installation on a flash drive or external HDD.

FreeFileSync 4.2

Developer: ZenJu

Distribution size: 9.27 MB

Work under control: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7

Price: for free

FreeFileSync - free utility, designed to compare and synchronize files between computers and removable drives (Fig. 7). Files are analyzed based on date and size. When comparing data, the directories “\RECYCLER” and “\System Volume Information” are ignored by default; it is also possible to include/exclude individual files based on date, size and name. It is possible to copy locked files from using Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service. There is a toolkit for creating batch jobs, the launch of which can be automated through the Windows Scheduler.

The utility is distributed under the GNU GPL license, and its installation is possible in two versions: stationary (on local computer user) and portable (for example, on a flash drive).

File synchronization services

There are many services designed for synchronizing files on the Internet. Some of them are positioned as online storage facilities with the possibility of synchronization, others are designed specifically for synchronization. We will focus on the two most popular synchronizing services - SugarSync and Dropbox, which are significantly ahead of their competitors in terms of the capabilities they provide.

Unlike utilities, services require much more time to analyze data and synchronize it. The time difference, of course, is relative and is determined by the specific operating conditions on the Internet and the amount of information being synchronized - of course, with a low connection speed, the operation can take a very long time. That's why this method is of interest only if you have a permanent high-speed Internet connection. But the services have all the necessary functionality to gain access to documents from the most different devices with access to the Internet, anywhere (at home, in the office, on a business trip, etc.) and at any time, which is very important for mobile users. Moreover, if necessary, you can access your documents even from someone else’s computer, because the monitored files are not only synchronized to all devices specified by the user, but also backed up in online storage. And that's not all - the use of such services greatly simplifies file exchange. This means that you can easily exchange documents with other company employees working on the same project, as well as photographs and other materials with family and friends.

In addition, it is worth noting that web synchronization of files does not require the simultaneous presence of all synchronized devices on the Internet at the same time, since servers specially designed for this purpose are used as an intermediary. Everything is much more convenient - synchronization of each of the user-defined computers and mobile devices is carried out when they are connected to the Internet.

In technical terms, the use of services does not cause any difficulties. First, you need to create your account on the appropriate resource, then download the client program and install it - the client, of course, is installed on each computer on which you want to synchronize data (using the same login/password). When finished, you need to configure the synchronization settings; in a number of services this can be done already during the installation of the service client. By setting we mean specifying folders that will need to be synchronized between devices in the future; you may need to define some other parameters. For example, in SugarSync you need to select a name and icon to quickly identify your computer and only then specify the necessary folders (Fig. 8). After this, the data is downloaded to a remote server - that is, in fact, it is backed up.

Rice. 8. Setting up a client in SugarSync

Further actions depend on the selected service. So, on SugarSync you need to additionally specify through the Manage Sync Folders module between which devices folders should be synchronized (Fig. 9). In Dropbox there is no need for such an operation, but on this service you will have to regularly copy the synchronized data to the folder My Documents\Dropbox(this folder is created automatically on the user’s computer when installing the client program). After making the settings, the contents of the folders (specified by the user in the case of the SugarSync and Dropbox folders when using the service of the same name) will be automatically synchronized with the corresponding online servers in both directions via the Internet. As a result, all synchronized devices will always have latest versions tracked files. If necessary, you can access these files not only from synchronized devices, but also in online storage - through the web interface (Fig. 10).

Rice. 9. Defining synced folders in SugarSync

Rice. 10. Access to SugarSync online storage via the web interface

Both of these services can be used to automatically synchronize a variety of personal files (documents, pictures, music, etc.) and allow you to synchronize information between two or more computers and a variety of mobile devices. Regarding supported desktop operating systems, then SugarSync has clients for Windows and Mac OS X (see table), but Dropbox also supports Linux. SugarSync and Dropbox services offer a range of very attractive (especially SugarSync) tariff plans and provide free use with 5 and 2 GB of disk space from SugarSync and Dropbox, respectively. For some users, a free account will be enough to synchronize documents.

It is worth noting that a larger amount of free space and wider support for mobile platforms are not the only advantages of the SugarSync service. In terms of functionality, it is also more interesting - for example, it organizes work with synchronized folders and files more conveniently, the version control system is better implemented, it is possible to protect shared folders with a password, etc. In addition, the service allows you to edit documents online (edited files are opened on the user’s computer in the applications associated with them, and then saved in online storage) - which means you can start working on the document on office computer and complete it on your home PC. At the same time, the Dropbox service differs from SugarSync by noticeably faster download and synchronization speeds, and is much easier to set up and use.

Conclusion

We looked at two different options for automatically synchronizing files - using synchronization utilities and through online data synchronization services. The choice of the most preferable option is left up to the user, since everything here is very individual. Utilities are more attractive in terms of speed and capabilities fine tuning synchronization parameters, including processing of strictly selected data types. In turn, the services provide access to current versions files from almost any device with Internet access. By setting up any of the solutions discussed, you can easily and simply synchronize your work files and completely eliminate confusion with different versions the same documents, which very often occurs when working on several computers.

If you have ever worked on multiple computers, then you have probably encountered the problem of file synchronization. You suddenly need the files you work with in the office at home, and the files you left on your laptop are very necessary on your tablet or smartphone. If you actively use several computers, then such troubles happen regularly. In such a situation, the question arises of how to synchronize folders on different computers.

You can come up with a large number of ways to synchronize files on different computers. But most of these methods are quite technically complex. Regular user will not be able to use them without the help of an experienced system administrator. In this article we will describe the easiest way to synchronize files on different computers.

For synchronization we will use . Therefore, the first step is registration Google account. To do this, follow the link and fill out the registration form.

If you already have a Google account, then you can skip this step.

Step No. 2. Download and install the Google Drive program.

Launch the downloaded program. Installation of the Google Drive program occurs automatically and does not require any user intervention.

After the Google Drive program is installed, you will see a window asking you to sign in to your account.

Click on the “Login” button. In the next window you will be asked to log in Google program Drive using the Google account that we registered in the first stage.

Enter your username and password and click on the “Login” button.

Step No. 3. Setting up the Google Drive program.

After entering your username and password, you should see the “Getting Started” window.

Click on the “Forward” button. At the next stage, click on the “Advanced settings” button.

In the "Advanced Settings" window, you need to specify the folder you want to synchronize. For example, this could be the My Documents folder or any other folder on your computer.

To select the desired folder, click on the “Change” button. After the folder is specified, the program starts working. All files in this folder are synchronized with Google Drive cloud storage.

Step No. 4. Sync files on all computers.

Next, in order to synchronize files on different computers, you need to install the Google Drive program on each computer. As a result, on each computer you will receive a folder with the same contents and changes on one computer will be automatically transferred to all other computers. In addition to the usual Windows computers you can install Google Drive on your smartphone or . This will allow you to access your files anywhere you have Internet access.

The only drawback of this method of synchronizing files on different computers is that the maximum amount of data that can be stored on cloud storage Google Drive is 15 GB. But, you can expand this capacity up to 100 GB for just $5 per month.