Today my story will be dedicated to programs for synchronizing data between PCs and we are not 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 consider 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 a cloud service and its servers located in an unknown location. Consider at least one of the founders of Apple - Steve Wozniak, who prefers to store data locally on the device, ignoring iCloud. It is to such users that this article on data synchronization will be devoted.

goodsync

For example, the GoodSync utility is so versatile that it can work both as a regular backup program and as an intermediary between a local PC and cloud services for data synchronization, as well 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 actual 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 proper functioning of the program, install it on those machines where you need data synchronization. In order not to get confused, each task has its own type - backup or synchronization. In the second case, changes in files from both computers or used media will be tracked. Other PCs with GoodSync installed, your FTP server, a computer from your home network, or services that support the WebDAV protocol, as well as the following cloud services can be used as such media: Google Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive, Windows Azure, Amazon S3 and Amazon CloudDrive.

Having decided on the data source and storage location, you can analyze the files in the folders that you have chosen right in the GoodSync program window so that you don’t miss anything before synchronization. If identical or similar files are found, by comparing them, you can choose the direction (from where / where) to copy them.

For lovers of task automation, you can set up a schedule for data synchronization with a PC. For example, before shutting down the PC or at a certain time. GoodSync is able to independently overwrite the old file with 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.

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. For mobile workers, this is even more difficult, because they, among other things, cannot do without a portable PC such as a laptop, netbook, or other type of 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 take 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 solution, because copy and overwrite operations will have to be performed daily. It is much faster, and more reliable, to resort to data synchronization using a suitable utility or online file synchronization service. We will consider several such solutions in this article.

Synchronization basics

To synchronize data, users can use both specialized utilities and web services. Both of them monitor the contents of the specified folders located in different locations (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 to each other directly via a local network, infrared port or the Internet. In this case, data synchronization is carried out in just one step - in fact, 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, an external hard drive, a folder on an FTP server, etc. can act as such a device. In this case, the data is synchronized in several stages: first, files are packed from one computer and sent to an intermediary device, then this data is received on another computer, due to which synchronization is carried out.

All of the above is true in the case of using utilities. As for web services, when synchronizing through them, a direct connection between the synchronized devices is not required, since the selected folders on a computer or laptop are synchronized with user data in the online storage. This implies that documents updated in the course of work are automatically backed up in such a repository.

Since you have to synchronize data regularly (usually daily), it is more convenient to automate this process - for example, analyze and synchronize files according to a set schedule or when certain events occur (for example, when a removable drive is connected, the system starts, or if updates appear in synchronized folders ). If necessary, for example, when processing large amounts of information, it is more reasonable 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 file synchronization on the market - among them there are both paid and free solutions, and a number of free products have quite enough functionality to meet the needs of an ordinary user. As examples of such utilities, we will consider the programs ViceVersa, GoodSync, Allway Sync and FreeFileSync.

As a rule, specialized utilities synchronize very quickly and are easy to use, since most often it is enough to set 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 difficulties. First, a new task is created, two folders are specified in it - source and target, and, if necessary, file filtering conditions are determined. Then start the process of analyzing the contents of the folders by clicking on the button Analysis. The result of comparing the 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 that, you can manually start data synchronization (button Synchronization), but it is more convenient to set the program to perform the operation automatically. For this purpose, the scheduler built into the utility is opened and the synchronization time or an event is determined, 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 will appear under the same letter when connected, which will lead to synchronization errors if another flash drive is inserted. In order for the program to correctly recognize the desired drive, you need to manually change the path to the device, replacing the drive letter in it with the volume label (=VolumeName:\folder1\folder2 - Fig. 3). It is easy to set the appropriate volume label for a particular disk in the properties using Windows Explorer. Applying these settings ensures that the desired portable drive is detected, regardless of the drive letter assigned to it.

Rice. 3. Replacing a drive letter with a 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 (Figure 4). With it, you can synchronize data between desktop computers, laptops, file servers, external media (hard drives, USB devices, ZIP drives, etc.), NAS, etc. This is implemented via a local network, via the Internet and using any external drives.

Synchronization analyzes parameters such as file size and date/time of file creation, checksums, or a combination of the above parameters. It is possible to include/exclude when analyzing subdirectories, as well as individual files, taking into account their attributes (hidden/system/read-only) and masks. You can synchronize and back up files that are open and locked by applications, including Outlook and Outlook Express mail databases, Word and Excel documents, and SQL databases. Data synchronization is performed manually on demand or automatically - according to a schedule (for example, daily at a strictly defined time). In order to save disk space and ensure data security on any media, 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 editions - Basic Plus and Extended Pro. Free edition features are limited to comparing and synchronizing files in folders (including subfolders) between floppy drives, hard drives, network drives, and ZIP and CDs; synchronization is done 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: Cyber ​​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). You can also sync files between Windows Mobile Phone or Pocket PC (Windows CE) devices and your 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 drives (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 are automatically ignored, 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 a computer is connected to a local network, when a removable disk is connected to a computer, or when the system starts), the Windows scheduler can be used. In order to increase security during remote data synchronization, file transfer via an encrypted channel (FTP via SSH and WebDAV via SSL) is implemented, and when backing up, it is possible to use the EFS (Encrypting File System) encrypted 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-commercial structures completely free of charge, but with restrictions - it is allowed to create up to three synchronization tasks, including no more than one hundred files. There is a special portable edition of the utility - it appears under the name GoodSync2Go and is designed to be installed 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 (only for non-commercial use)

Allway Sync is an easy-to-use utility for synchronizing and backing up files in folders (Figure 6). The program provides data synchronization between desktop PCs, laptops, external hard drives, USB drives, FTP/SFTP servers and various online data storages. Information is analyzed and updated via a local network, via the Internet and via external storage devices (flash drives, external hard drives, etc.).

The latest versions of files are identified based on a combination of file attributes, file size, and creation time. In order to narrow the list of analyzed files, it is allowed to include/exclude synchronization objects taking into account the location of the file, 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 Free and commercial Pro. The free edition allows you to synchronize no more than 40 thousand files in 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 is a free utility designed to compare and synchronize files between computers and removable drives (Fig. 7). The analysis of files is carried out taking into account the date and size. By default, when comparing data, the "\RECYCLER" and "\System Volume Information" directories are ignored, it is also possible to include / exclude individual files, taking into account the date, size, and name. It is possible to copy locked files using the 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 the user's local computer) and portable (for example, on a flash drive).

Services for file synchronization

There are a lot of services designed to synchronize files on the Web. Some of them are positioned as online storages with the ability to synchronize, others are designed specifically for synchronization. We will focus on the two most popular synchronization services - SugarSync and Dropbox, which are far 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 difference in time, of course, is relative and is determined by the specific conditions of working on the Internet and the amount of synchronized information - of course, with a low connection speed, the operation can take a very long time. Therefore, this method is of interest only in the case of a permanent high-speed Internet connection. But the services have all the necessary functionality to access documents from a variety of devices with Internet access, 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 tracked 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 the exchange of files. This means that you can easily share documents with other company employees working on the same project, as well as pictures 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 Web 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 computers and mobile devices defined by the user 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 corresponding 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 (with 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. Setting refers to specifying folders that will later need to be synchronized between devices, you may need to define some more parameters. For example, in SugarSync, you need to select a name and icon to quickly identify the computer, and only then specify the necessary folders (Fig. 8). After that, the data is uploaded to a remote server - that is, in fact, they are backed up.

Rice. 8. Client setup in SugarSync

Further actions depend on the chosen service. So, on SugarSync, you must additionally specify through the Manage Sync Folders module, between which devices the 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 a folder My Documents\Dropbox(This folder is created automatically on the user's computer when the client program is installed). After the settings are made, the contents of the folders (specified by the user in the case of the SugarSync service and the Dropbox folder 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 the latest versions of monitored files. If necessary, these files can be accessed not only from synchronized devices, but also in the online storage via the web interface (Fig. 10).

Rice. 9. Defining Folders to Sync in SugarSync

Rice. 10. Access SugarSync online storage via 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 various mobile devices. In terms of supported desktop operating systems, SugarSync has clients for Windows and Mac OS X (see table), while Dropbox also supports Linux. SugarSync and Dropbox offer a range of very attractive pricing plans (especially for SugarSync) and provide free 5GB and 2GB storage options for SugarSync and Dropbox, respectively. For a number of users, a free account will be enough to synchronize documents.

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

Conclusion

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

After the article about the purely manual method of folder synchronization requests to find and describe a "lazy" solution to this issue rained down. Hold is a free program for automatically synchronizing folders called Allway Sync.

Why you need folder synchronization

This question surprised me some users in the comments and mail - I answer them. She may need…

• if you want to make sure after the transfer some system folder or temporary data to another disk
• if there was not enough time to finish some project at work/at home (we came home/to work, plugged in a USB flash drive and work with automatically updated data)
• if you need to store a backup copy of important data on an external storage medium (hard drive, ssd drive, flash drive ...)
• if you need to quickly and losslessly provide data exchange between several computers
• to facilitate and speed up manual copying of data between folders and drives

Automatic folder synchronization

The Allway Sync program, as the manufacturers themselves assure us, “uses innovative algorithms to synchronize your data between desktop PCs, laptops, USB drives, remote FTP / SFTP and WebDAV servers, various online data warehouses etc. Data compression and encryption are supported. It combines bulletproof reliability with an extremely simple interface."

Well, they managed to intrigue us, right? Let's put their claim to the test.

Installing Allway Sync

There is nothing scary or confusing about it. Only two nuances - NOT uncheck install special service (needed to automatically track changes in folders) ...

…and also decide whether you need desktop shortcut and for all users of your computer you install the program ...

Allway Sync setup and operation

Immediately after installing the program, you need to teach it your language ...

I will show the rest of the program settings as it is tested. So, by default, we already have some kind of task called "New Job 1" - right-click on the tab and create our personal new task ...

After that, you can rename or delete any task in the same way. We figured it out - go ahead and specify the folders for synchronization ...

... decide on the direction of synchronization (link "Change" between the arrows in the middle) ...

Carefully! Useful additional information on the site:

(default is general sync)

If you, like me in this case, have a second folder on a USB flash drive, I recommend that you press the "Configure ..." button and check the box to link the program to the characteristics of the drive ...

As you can see, everything is explained competently and clearly to us literally at every step in this wonderful program.

Primary manual synchronization

I press the "Analyze" button, read the warning and ignore it ...

... and then, finally, I synchronize the folders ...

Having opened in explorer tabs both experimental folders at once, checked the result of the Allway Sync program - everything is clear and without errors (how many files in one folder, so many in the second).

All this is good, but it was the usual manual synchronization - where is the automatic one? I'm telling.

Automatic data synchronization

We go into the settings of our task, which can be accessed in several ways ...

• item "View" in the program menu and "Settings ..."
• right-click on the task tab and select "Properties" in the context menu
• in English keyboard layout click "Hotkeys Ctrl+O (sequentially, no plus sign)

(by the way, here program autorun can be turned on)

... at the very bottom of the list of settings, which is on the left in the window, we are looking for our task and go to "Automatic synchronization" ...

... and then you set it up for yourself, as you like - when you connect the drive to the computer, after a certain period of time, when you start the application, before exiting ...

The variety of conditions for automatic folder synchronization in this program is simply amazing - the authors foresaw most of the desires of users.

I set the first condition (“When connecting a removable device”) and removing the USB flash drive from the laptop, deleted three photos in the test folder. After connecting the drive to the computer, the data was automatically synchronized instantly ...

March 31 is International Backup Day. Apparently because April 1 is the day of those who do not do it. If in the office the problem of backup is usually solved by the system administrator, then for those who work at home, it must be solved by yourself. The free FreeFileSync program is perfect for backing up and synchronizing data.

Organizing your backups

There are two things to keep in mind when organizing a backup. The first is that the more backups, the higher the probability of data leakage from them. The second - the geographically farther the copy is stored from the original, the more chances for its safety. A good option is to make backups to a remote computer via a VPN connection, then they are not afraid of either a flood or a fire. But not everyone has such an opportunity, so let's consider backup and synchronization to an external hard drive.

Do not forget about the relevance of copies, for which periodic synchronization should be carried out. You can, of course, copy the entire amount of data again each time, but this is only suitable if there are few of them. For large volumes, this will lead to unnecessary wear on the hard drive and, in general, a waste of time. Synchronization is much faster than full copy, but it is very important to set it up correctly. Otherwise, you may lose both the copy and the original data! Before using synchronization, be sure to test it on unnecessary files and folders!

Setting up synchronization in FreeFileSync

After installation, run the program and select folders for synchronization. The original folder will be on the left and the backup on the external hard drive will be on the right.

Then, go to the file comparison settings and select the options. By default, files are compared by date and size. On the "Filter" tab, you can configure the folders and files that you want to exclude from synchronization.

On the "Synchronization" tab, set the synchronization mode. There are 4 modes in total:

• Both Sides - Changes are tracked on both sides of the sync.
• Mirror - only changes on the left side are taken into account, that is, files and folders that do not exist on the left will be deleted during synchronization.
• Refresh - files are copied from left to right, and if new files are found on the right, user intervention is required.
• Optionally, you can set up your own rules for processing files.

Setting up scheduled synchronization

FreeFileSync has a useful feature - it saves sync settings as a batch file. To create this file, click the "save as batch job" button. If necessary, you can enable recording of synchronization logs.

When this file is launched, synchronization is performed in hidden mode, without launching the graphical interface. Therefore, Windows can be configured to run this file on a schedule. To do this, open the Windows Control Panel and find the “Schedule Tasks” item there. As an example, let's set up synchronization to start when the computer is turned on. Create a task for all users. In this case, a password must be set on the computer.

As a trigger, specify "On startup". It is also worth setting a delay in execution so that everything works correctly.

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

So, we believe that you have a main working directory located on a local or network machine at home or at work, and there is a need to automatically copy (mirror, deliver) files from it to another location: to a flash drive, external hard drive (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 the destination. The source data and the destination directory will always be exactly the same in terms of the amount and size of the data.

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

Synchronization of files in the local network and via FTP(synchronize) is just a small part of Exiland Backup's capabilities. You can see the full list of features on the version comparison page. In this article, we will not dwell on them, but will consider only a method for setting up mirroring between computers. This feature will help both system administrators and home users.

Exiland Backup is a simple solution for synchronizing files and folders

A simple Exiland Backup utility allows you to automatically perform one-way synchronization of folders on a schedule (no more than 1 time per minute). Quickly and thoroughly compares the contents of the source data with the target folder and bring them into line. This is especially useful for periodically delivering files from one branch of the organization to another via FTP.. Multiple directories can be specified as the source directory.

ATTENTION. When adding, changing or deleting source files, all changes are also reflected in the destination directory. If you delete data from the source, it will automatically be deleted from the destination. If you do not 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, to the cloud. For example, a program can copy both all data and selectively by a given mask, attributes, and specified subfolders.

Additional features include such as:

• Maintaining a detailed log showing which files have been added, updated and removed.
• Ability to send the log by e-mail or notification to a mobile phone in the form of SMS.
• Flexible setup schedules.
• Start copying automatically when Windows starts, when you connect a USB flash drive or other removable device.
• Starting a task from the command line (command line).

Step by step setup wizard

So, let's look at an example of how to set up 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" to the shared folder "\\NAS-server\Backups\Documents".

Run the backup program. In the upper left corner of the main program window, click the button for creating a new task - 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 what source data you want to mirror. This can be a 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 the 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 Sync Folder

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

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

There can only be one destination directory!

Step 5: Schedule the Job

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

Step 6: Notice

Leave everything as default and click Finish.

Quest created!
If you are prompted to configure advanced settings, answer "No" for now. You can always go back to the settings later and change them.

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

In addition to the paid versions of Standard and Professional, there is also a free version 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 license for Standard or Professional and become a full registered user with all the benefits of the paid versions of Standard and Professional, which are much more functional and include priority technical support, Personal Account and a number of other benefits.