Simple backup software?

[yomacroni]

I’m already using time machine for computer backups. What simple GUI-based software can I use to backup specific folders into zipped files on external drives? I tried SuperDuper but that doesn’t do it and other software seems loaded with full-backup features that I don’t need since I’m already happily using time machine.

 

[Lunder89]

If all you need is manually to copy some zip files to a specific destination easier, then I think the app Dropzone could do the job.

If you want something a little bit more automated, I think Hazel might be the right app.

 

[yomacroni]

If all you need is manually to copy some zip files to a specific destination easier, then I think the app Dropzone could do the job.

If you want something a little bit more automated, I think Hazel might be the right app.

I need the program to zip the file and copy that so it’s a 2 step process. I forgot to mention I want to schedule it for the early morning which means Hazel won’t work since it won’t work when the Mac is asleep.

 

[BrianBaughn]

I don't know how Hazel works but you can set your Mac to wake up at a certain time.

System Preferences>Energy Saver>Schedule

 

[Fishrrman]

Is there any reason you want "zipped" files?

The "ace in the hole" of a SuperDuper (or CarbonCopyCloner) backup is that -- in a moment of need -- you can just connect the backup, and it mounts "in the finder". EVERYTHING is "right there" and you can retrieve one file, several files, a group of folders, or... the entire drive.

 

[BrianBaughn]

It's possible to set this up with Automator and an "On My Mac" calendar.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Availability of "simple" apps depends on there being a significant market for that single, targeted function. "I want a partial backup app that doesn't have full backup features" isn't likely to sell a lot of copies. Features get bundled together in order to appeal to a variety of needs. Reviewers (pro and amateur alike) are likely to criticize an "incomplete" app...

Yeah, there's a certain inefficiency/waste in buying more than you need, but that's the nature of things.

As noted, this kind of simply-defined function is the essence of what Automator and AppleScript are intended to do. When Tim Cook champions the idea of widespread knowledge of how to code, this is one of the reasons why.

 

[yomacroni]

I don't know how Hazel works but you can set your Mac to wake up at a certain time.

System Preferences>Energy Saver>Schedule

Apparently it doesn't work with lid closed but I suppose I can just keep it opened overnight. Thanks.
[doublepost=1507234082][/doublepost]

Is there any reason you want "zipped" files?

The "ace in the hole" of a SuperDuper (or CarbonCopyCloner) backup is that -- in a moment of need -- you can just connect the backup, and it mounts "in the finder". EVERYTHING is "right there" and you can retrieve one file, several files, a group of folders, or... the entire drive.

Zipped files will be easier to manage since I want a daily backup file. I do use Hazel to backup/sync folders.
[doublepost=1507234197][/doublepost]

It's possible to set this up with Automator and an "On My Mac" calendar.

Interesting, I'll have to try this out, thanks.
[doublepost=1507234702][/doublepost]

Availability of "simple" apps depends on there being a significant market for that single, targeted function. "I want a partial backup app that doesn't have full backup features" isn't likely to sell a lot of copies. Features get bundled together in order to appeal to a variety of needs. Reviewers (pro and amateur alike) are likely to criticize an "incomplete" app...

Yeah, there's a certain inefficiency/waste in buying more than you need, but that's the nature of things.

As noted, this kind of simply-defined function is the essence of what Automator and AppleScript are intended to do. When Tim Cook champions the idea of widespread knowledge of how to code, this is one of the reasons why.

Well, a full service app like SuperDuper is not capable of doing it either so I thought asking about a simple backup solution would be easier. I don't mind using a full service solution if it can do what I want with zipping folders on a schedule.

Coming from Windows I'm not familiar with Automator or AppleScript. Do I need to use both or is it either/or? I have used shell scripts to do this on my Linux VPS but to save time I thought there would be a simple gui based backup solution. For example, on Windows I used to use SyncBack. You tell it what folders to backup, whether to compress, where to put it and when to schedule. Thought there would be an equivalent on Mac.

 

[hobowankenobi]

The compressing of files is the big challenge; much of the popular Mac backup software does not offer compression, or it does for the entire job, not producing individual zip files like you describe. Good or bad, that's the way it is. You will have limited options, or you will have to forego zipped individual files I suspect.

The most popular backups tools do incremental backups, comparing changes. Seems like a zipped folder would have to be decompressed to be compared...to make the next backup. That alone would be a deal breaker for a lot of tools. Same with Time Machine: to be as fast and light weight on resources as possible, to run in the back ground without being invasive, compression is not on the feature list.

One product you might check out that does offer compression...though I don't think in the specific way you mentioned...is Get Backup. Free demo, lots of features, worth the price.

Most of the enterprise grade options offer compression, but not on individual files. I suspect the performance is better (faster).

 

[yomacroni]

The compressing of files is the big challenge; much of the popular Mac backup software does not offer compression, or it does for the entire job, not producing individual zip files like you describe. Good or bad, that's the way it is. You will have limited options, or you will have to forego zipped individual files I suspect.

One product you might check out that does offer compression...though I don't think in the specific way you mentioned...is Get Backup. Free demo, lots of features, worth the price.

Most of the enterprise grade options offer compression, but not on individual files. I suspect the performance is better (faster).

I don’t think I explained what I want to do properly. I actually want the whole job to be backed up, not individual files. I will have multiple jobs for each folder (photos, work, etc) so I’ll check that software out, thanks. I don’t even care about the compression part so a tar file would be fine as well.

 

[hobowankenobi]

I don’t think I explained what I want to do properly. I actually want the whole job to be backed up, not individual files. I will have multiple jobs for each folder (photos, work, etc) so I’ll check that software out, thanks. I don’t even care about the compression part so a tar file would be fine as well.

Oh, sorry if I got that wrong.

Again, the backup world is moving to incremental or snap shots vs. compression. Not the easiest thing to explain or visualize...you might take a peek at this description of another product. Snap shots use much less space AND give you many restore points to roll back to, vs. traditional compressed files.

OTOH, many of the cloud based solutions leverage compression, as it is less data to shove over the interwebs.

 

[yomacroni]

Oh, sorry if I got that wrong.

Again, the backup world is moving to incremental or snap shots vs. compression. Not the easiest thing to explain or visualize...you might take a peek at this description of another product. Snap shots use much less space AND give you many restore points to roll back to, vs. traditional compressed files.

OTOH, many of the cloud based solutions leverage compression, as it is less data to shove over the interwebs.

So incremental backups used with snapshots is the key. So let’s say one day one’s local drive gets encrypted via a virus and that gets backed up via an incremental backup. Since I have daily snapshots then I could retrieve the drive and the total space would be less than if I did full daily backups? I’m trying to wrap my head around this and since I use Time Machine I suppose it’s similar.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

If having an "archival" backup of each day's changes is important to you, you can still use CarbonCopyCloner.

Although the generally-used setting for CCC is to create a cloned backup (that is, an exact copy of the source, each time CCC is run), it can also be configured to "archive" changed files. They are then put into a folder separate from the cloned files, marked for this purpose.

This can give you a "daily archive" and will still have a fully-bootable cloned backup of the source drive, that can instantly be mounted "in the finder" and "browsed through" for older files.

CCC is FREE to download and use for 30 days.
I suggest you download it and "give it a test run" using the settings above.
You might be pleased with the results...