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Short answer - I wouldn't use Active Copy to back up a package database like this. It does not, in fact, cache data. The way it works is to listen for change (event the OS kernel) to a file in a directory marked for Active Copy. At that point it will wait for 60 seconds to see if there are any other events. 60 seconds after the last event, it will copy from cpu to Pogoplug directory ANY file with a different size or date (different, not newer, larger, etc.)
I do use it to back up all my documents, my desktop, and my outlook ost file, but haven't tried to use it for the types of backup you have planned. Hope that's helpful!
Hello -- I use three database-type programs: DEVONthink (an information manager), Scrivener (for writing projects), and Sente (a reference manager). All three store information in "packages," which means they use lots of interrelated files. When the database grows very large, this can mean hundreds or thousands of files, which are being changed separately anytime the database is open. Hence none of them can be backed up reliably through a file-based service like Dropbox (the risk of corruption is high if one small component file is being changed while the program is backing it up). Can Pogoplug back up these databases reliably? I know the answer is YES, if I do so manually, and wait until the programs themselves are closed -- since then all data files are static. But what about using ActiveCopy? Specifically, when the database programs are still open, and I'm still working on the data, it's less clear to me what happens. Does Active Copy work CONTINUOUSLY to back up files that are open? Or does it merely replace a saved file with a new version once it has been closed? And will it see the individual component files separately, and back them up as each one changes? (Chronosync can handle this, reportedly, if told to "dissect packages.") I posted a version of this query to the DEVONthink forum, and received the following reply: "The main thing is if the program in question [i.e. Active Copy] keeps data cached when running, writing them to disk only occasionally. This is a trick that makes many programs run faster but the caveat is that the data on disk are only a faithful representation of what you as a user are seeing *after* they have been written to disk. The best way to make sure you are not missing anything in your backup is simply to quit the programs because that forces them to write everything to disk. Then backup to your heart's content." So the main questions are -- does ActiveCopy cache data while running? Does it try to back up files that are open? And can it deal with this sort of "package" database? Thanks very much for the wisdom of forum members ...
Cloud Engines
- member since: 05/20/2009
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August 19, 2010 6:04 PM
August 21, 2010 12:25 PM
Thanks very much, Jon. I'm convinced NOT to put my package database files into Active Copy (or, for that matter, Dropbox). That was also the consensus on the DEVONthink forum. I will instead regularly save zipped archives, manually. But could I perhaps also automate part of the process, to create redundant backups and extra copies (on other HDs to reduce the risks of other Very Bad Things like burglars, fires, etc.
How's this:
a) at the end of every database work session, save a zipped archive of my file (whether in DEVONthink, Scrivener, or whatever program I'm using).
b) save this zipped archive into a separate folder on my computer, let's call it, say, "Zipped database archives"
c) close the database program (DEVONthink, Scrivener or Sente)
d) tell Active Copy to copy the folder "Zipped database archives" (but NOT to copy the folder containing the in-use package database files).
This should -- I think -- mean that Active Copy then duplicates the zipped archive to my Pogoplug's attached HDs. But it would ONLY synch/duplicate the saved, zipped copy -- in other words, nothing would be changing with the data inside any of the package files. Hence it should be safely backup-able. Right?
Even better, I could delete most older backups from my own computer, keeping just the most recent zipped archive (or two) to save HD space. (I have a MacBook Air, with a small HD, so this is an issue.) Since Active Copy is not a mirror program, it will not delete the older backups from my external HD, even if I delete them from my computer. Thus ALL the previous zipped archives would remain in my Pogoplug-connected drives (until they too, eventually, fill up -- at that point I can start deleting older files there too).
Finally, since multiple Pogoplugs can be set up to duplicate each other over the Internet (I haven't tried this yet, but just ordered a second Pogoplug to give it a shot), I can then have the zipped archive folder backed up in different places (on hard drives in physically distant places, even different states or countries).
Does this make sense? By working only with the zipped backups, does it avoid at least the most obvious data corruption issues? Thanks again!
August 22, 2010 11:21 AM
That does make sense and should work well
I do a similar process - I backup several folders (including my outlook folder) to a Pogoplug, then have those backups backed up to another pogoplug which is offsite (at my house). I do the same process in reverse from my home.
Since Active Copy runs on detection of change, it's doing it's thing throughout the day, and for any documents and emails I have both a backup and a local copy, even of sizable docs, from either location.
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