Data replication from workstation to server?

Windows 2000 server and clients:

Please does anybody know if it is possible for data saved locally on a workstation to be automatically replicated to a designated directory on the server, must be extremely reliable.

I know I could achieve a similar solution with backup software but was wondering if there is anything "built in" to windows that could be utilised to save buying third party software unnecessarily and that maybe does the job on the fly rather than just at a scheduled time.

Many thanks

Colin

 

Replicated real time and constantly or just at intervals?

 

Hi Newt,

Preferrably real time and constantly but if that is impossible or extremely difficult to set up then at very regular intervals would suffice.

Tight Lines

Colin

P.S. In my original question I think it reads as if only one workstation needs this feature, I meant from all workstations on the domain.

 

In that case (real time and all workstations) you might want to consider storing the data on the server and doing a re-direct so the workstations thought it was local-to-them data.

That is the approach we have taken with about 1000 workstations on the domain having their 'My Documents' folder residing on a large file server and a redirect so it looks local and normal to them.

If the data is super critical you could set the server up with the main data drive and a mirror drive so you had near-instant replication of the data drive contents and any data loss would be highly unlikely. Add in a good backup routine on the server and even when a user accidently deletes or ruins a file, you can give them a copy no older than the last backup.

 

Thanks for your reply Newt,

I thought that something like that would be the only way to go.
Please could you expand on what you mean by "a re-direct "?


Regards

Colin

 

Re-Direct is done via a Group Policy

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;274443&Product=winsvr2003

However another possibility would be to have the data on the server and merely make it available to them as offline folders

Depends on what the data is, how it needs to be accessed, and if the machines are fixed Pcs or laptops

If you go down the backup route then there are several solutions from the usual suspects such as CA and Veritas