Data Replication

[candle23]

Hi All,

Currently at my company we are using the xcopy command to replicate files from our primary servers to our backup servers. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on some file replication software that will allow us to replace the xcopy method.

Thank you.

 

[ErikButler]

What kind of files are you talking about. if it is your NETLOGON share then all DCs should replicate this automatically provided you DNS is working correctly.


Thanks
Erik Butler
2000 MCSE
erikbutler@centurytel.net

 

[candle23]

Hi Erik,

Thanks for responding. I am actually just talking about copying files from our primary controller to our backup controller. I don't mean exclusively NETLOGON files, but all files that the users create and save on the primary server. I found a software that would perform this function, but I was hoping for something A LOT cheaper!

Thanks again for ur help.

Regards,
Candle

 

[ErikButler]

i cannot think of anything(free) other than scheduling a batch job to run and do this. Thanks
Erik Butler
2000 MCSE
erikbutler@centurytel.net

 

[richgill]

What's wrong with the Xcopy method? I use Robocopy from the resource kit to replcate data. (I backup our file server with it). It simply copies new and changed files.

 

[ErikButler]

well xcopy can do the new and changed files as well just
use

xcopy [des] [pat] /e/h/d/y Thanks
Erik Butler
2000 MCSE
erikbutler@centurytel.net

 

[richgill]

True (which is why I wanted to know what was wrong with using xcopy in the first place!) Robocopy has the advantage of being able to create a mirror copy, ie if a file is deleted on the source it will also be deleted on the destination.

 

[candle23]

thanks everyone for your help. there is nothing wrong with the xcopy method, but i was just wondering if there was something else. robocopy...how does that work?

thanks again.
candle

 

[richgill]

Robocopy is very similar to Xcopy, it just has a few more options. I have found it faster for replicating large amounts of data over the WAN. (I use it in place of DoubleTake which is a real-time data replication tool - but costs money!!) Robocopy also has a /MIR switch that creates a replica or mirror of the source data. (so if a file is deleted from the source it will also be removed from the target).

 

[ErikButler]

That could be a good thing or a very bad thing if you are backing up user files. Since Users have a bad habbit of deleting important documents on there own. Thanks
Erik Butler
2000 MCSE
erikbutler@centurytel.net

 

[Celestil]

You could use DFS (Distributed File System) to replicate your files. It works in the backround and is faster than xopy since you have to run it multiple times.

Just create a DFS root file system and replicate it to your backup server.