Filed under: Software, Productivity
Getting the most out of synching and backing up with ChronoSync
I picked up a license for Econ Technologies' ChronoSync a little while ago, as I didn't want an app like SuperDuper which simply backs up an entire machine. ChronoSync offers a ton of options for fine-tuning your backup operations and synchronizing a machine with a backup folder or even another Mac, scheduling backups / synchronizations and even backing up to optical media. ChronoSync also has special options for performing operations like syncing Home folders between Macs, and even backing up to an iPod. Long story short: if you're looking for a highly flexible backup solution, I definitely recommend ChronoSync.The one catch with ChronoSync can be summarized with a twist on an old phrase: with great power sometimes comes great confusion. ChronoSync has a slight learning curve due to all its flexibility, but thankfully, 43Folders just pointed out a great ChronoSync Tips page with backup scenarios for a number of different users. Listed on the page are a dozen sets of instructions with screenshots for setting up operations like synchronizing/backing up iPhoto, synchronizing to a disk image or another Mac and even using the Document Scheduler to automate as many different backup and synchronization operations as you can dream up. For anyone trying to wrap their head around what ChronoSync can actually do for their backup and synchronization sanity, this is a great one-stop case study page that should convince any potential customers to take the dive.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Stephen Macklin said 5:29PM on 6-23-2007
My department is an island of 16 MACs in a sea of PCs. One thing we lacked was an effective solution to back up the necessary work files from the MACS.
ChronoSync proved to be the solution. We sync each users work folder to a share on the server. the IT department's nightly back up of the server generates an incremental backup of that share.
A simple, redundant, and inexpensive solution.
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Kevin said 5:47PM on 6-23-2007
I've never had anything but trouble with this ridiculous application. I set it to do timed backups and it works for a couple of weeks and then suddenly stops doing them. I've uninstalled, reinstalled, updated, reconfigured, you name it. ChronoSync is a piece of crap.
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mark said 5:58PM on 6-23-2007
SuperDuper doesn't just back up your whole drive, you can back up whatever you want if you use the right backup profile, just specify the folders you want backing up.
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Dan said 6:28PM on 6-23-2007
I've been using ChronoSync to keep documents my two macs (and sometimes three) in sync for years now. It is a great piece of software. It is REALLY important, though, to occasionally check that the syncs are actual happening properly - and to remember that you still need to do backups to separate media just to be safe.
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Kevin said 1:22AM on 6-24-2007
It absolutely ridiculous to have to "occasionally check that the syncs are actual happening properly" with software that is designed to do that automatically. I stand by my comment above. ChronoSync is a piece of crap.
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Dave Chartier said 2:08AM on 6-24-2007
ChronoSync wouldn't exist if these kinds of errors were common place; no software would exist if it had the kinds of troubles some commenters have mentioned. What is more likely is that something is wrong in these individual cases, causing problems with ChronoSync.
I've been using this software for close to a year now to automate basic backups of just the information I need from the Home directories on two Macs that I own. Only recently have I been dabbling with getting more serious, tinkering with synching certain directories and making regular backups of certain kinds of data to optical media.
Not once have I ever had an issue where scheduled backups have failed or otherwise been impaired. The software has worked flawlessly since the day I tried out the demo and subsequently bought a license.
If users are having issues like this, I encourage you to get in touch with Econ Technologies and talk to their support personnel, if it's still worth your time.
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Bambino said 2:51AM on 6-24-2007
Mr. Macklin:
MAC: the identifying number of a network adapter.
Mac: a computer made by Apple, Inc.
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kitty said 4:37AM on 6-24-2007
while chronosync might be the way to go if you need tons of options, i finally dscided to stick with SmartBackup (http://freeridecoding.com/smartbackup).
it is much easier to set up and has a cool looking interface.
it is half the price and you get bit of a "delicious backup".
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mark said 8:54PM on 6-24-2007
Obviously Kevin doesn't know how to use the software. I've been using Chronosync for years now without any issues. I use it at work to sync my desktop with my macbook's documents folder. I use it to backup my desktop's documents folder to an external firewire drive. I use it to back up my mom's mac mini to an external drive and email me every night with a success or failure message so I know if something has gone wrong (which it never has). I give this software 5 stars, it's on my personal list of essential apps for the mac.
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Harry said 5:25AM on 6-30-2007
ChronoSync v3.3.5 does have issues when combined with drives attached to the Apple Airport Extreme (AE). In short, if you must ever reconnect the drives or restart the AE, then you have to go find the drives again in ChronoSync. Therefore, you cannot set up a scheduled backup, because at some point it won't see the drive.
I have contacted Econ about the issue, and they are aware of the issue. They said every time the drives come back online they have some sort of "different number" which make them appear as different drives.
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