Synchronisation Tools

[McChikenhanger]

Hi guys, just wanted to get peoples' opinions on how better synchronise laptops and files on Windows XP to Server 2003. I don't like the box standard utility that comes with XP, so wondering if anyone new of better free tools that I can put on my machine builds that would do a better job of synchronizing, as at the moment, a lot of time is being wasted.

 

Thank you all for any ideas.

[mattcrum]

There's some software called iFolder that is pretty popular... It's at ifolder.com. This tool can integrate into Active Directory and stuff of that sort.

 

You can also use a utility called Unison... That's at Unison File Synchronizer

It can sync multiplatform pretty easily

 

And this is probably not what you want but I can mention it anyway: you can use Dropbox... it actually has a LAN sync feature built into it for local networks. It's a bit of a pain because you still have to have accounts registered and all that jazz...

[Blue_Cookeh]

I know you might not want to upgrade yet, but Windows 7's Sync capabilities are far better than in XP.

[plexer]

RES Workspace manager has sync functionality but it's part of the paid for product.

 

I cannot get offline files on Win 7 to work, works for us on xp but not win 7.

 

Ben

[FN-GM]

RES Workspace manager has sync functionality but it's part of the paid for product.

 

I cannot get offline files on Win 7 to work, works for us on xp but not win 7.

 

Ben

 

It gave me abit of trouble. It turned out to be permissions. It wanted to the users to see what was in the parent directory of the home area. I set it so staff user accounts could see the folders in the staff home area share but only access there own.

[p858snake]

I know our state wide edu department uses SyncToy compared to offline files (on both xp, seven lappys)

[McChikenhanger]

Thanks for that. Will run some tests with them and see how it goes. I thought about Dropbox already, but didn't go for it as the accounts had to be registered on the nest, and then that opens up other problems with keeping data safe and all of that.

 

There's some software called iFolder that is pretty popular... It's at ifolder.com. This tool can integrate into Active Directory and stuff of that sort.

 

You can also use a utility called Unison... That's at Unison File Synchronizer

It can sync multiplatform pretty easily

 

And this is probably not what you want but I can mention it anyway: you can use Dropbox... it actually has a LAN sync feature built into it for local networks. It's a bit of a pain because you still have to have accounts registered and all that jazz...

[McChikenhanger]

We'll be upgrading to Windows 7, but that won't happen until the summer, as we are upgrading the infrastructre at the moment. I just wanted something better than XP to tie me until then. But thanks anyway, good to hear that Windows 7 is better than XP in Synchronising.

 

I know you might not want to upgrade yet, but Windows 7's Sync capabilities are far better than in XP.

[McChikenhanger]

We'll be upgrading to Windows 7, but that won't happen until the summer, as we are upgrading the infrastructre at the moment. I just wanted something better than XP to tie me until then. But thanks anyway, good to hear that Windows 7 is better than XP in Synchronising.

 

I know you might not want to upgrade yet, but Windows 7's Sync capabilities are far better than in XP.

[SYNACK]

XPs sync is not that bad, we used it with staff laptops for stacks of users and data all those years before Vista then 7 came out. You may need to make sure that the teachers don't log on to each others laptops and reset the offline files DB on occasion but it works alright most of the time.

 

Synctoy is rubbish in comparision.

Edited May 8, 2012 by SYNACK

[edutech4schools]

I would also not use synctoy. Failed in our testing.