Keeping two PC's in sync through FTP

Introduction

Here's the scenario: After having forgotten your USB key one time too many, you figure you should use an FTP server to keep your work and home computers in sync through an FTP server. Here are some utilities that do just this.

Keep in mind that FTP servers can be tricky to work with because files can have their date/time changed to the server's settings when saved on the server, and you may also see issues due to the GMT setting wrong between the server and your client host, making files appear to be newer/older when they really didn't change.

Must-have features

• One-button sync, no-brainer, simple interface
• Smart sync that doesn't rely on date/time on server (since FTP doesn't keep the original file's time stamp, and doesn't necessarily handle GMT issue correctly), keeps file entries in databases and uses hashing to check for changes, etc.
• If permitted by FTP server, multiple, parallel connections for faster up/downloads
• Can ignore case (for Unix/Windows compatibility)
• Supports multiple profiles, so as to be able to sync different directories (eg. C:\DIR1, C:\DIR2), without having to manually change directories on both hosts before resuming synching
• Supports simulated run
• Consequences of FTP changing date/time stamps? -> Is there a tool that uploads a list of files with their date/time stamp, so that they are rewritten on the final host at download time? Otherwise, SmartSync Pro is the only solution that handles this issue

Backup4all

• http://www.backup4all.com
• Backup to FTP is only available in the Pro version
• When creating a new backup profile, when selecting an FTP server as destination but the user never created one through Tools > Options > FTP, it'd be nice to let him create a new entry within the wizar. Otherwise, the user must click on Cancel, create a new FTP server, and restart the wizard.
• Can it ignore date/time stamp on FTP server, and rely on other means (local database, hashing) to determine if a file changed? It uploaded a file that already existed, unchanged, due to different timestamp (DST, one hour-off). Advanced > Comparison criteria > CRC32 (FAT/NTFS)

SyncBack

• http://www.2brightsparks.com
• For more accurate comparison, can ignore dates, and hash files instead
• Must retype all FTP information to create new profiles
• Doesn't support more than one FTP connection
• Can't select just one file on the local PC (only available for FTP server)
• Recreates directories because it ignores case (eg. even if \Eudora present on FTP, will reupload files to \eudora?)
• Can't ignore date/time when showing differences even when setting Compare Options > Ignore file modification date & time changes?

SmartSync Pro

• SmartSync uses a totally different way to keep two computers in sync through an FTP server: On the first computer, run SS to create a package, which SS will then upload to the FTP server. On the second computer, downlad the package, and run it from SS: "When you are ready to move changed files to the remote computer the program transfer your changes to the second computer, it compresses and combines all the changed files into the a single package, which is then copied  that you can copy that to a floppy, Zip, disk or CD-RW disk, sent by ZIP disk for physical transport or that you can send using email or uploaded to an FTP server. Once the package arrives at the second computer, SmartSync Pro either loads the package from the removable disk or downloadscan load it from the FTP server and then applies apply any updates to the destination directories."
• Synchronize with a remote computer = using an FTP server as an in-between; Synchronize with a local/network computer = the two computers can connect to each other directly

BeyondCompare

• http://www.scootersoftware.com
• Told it to ignore date stamp and just use size/hash, but still displays files that are identical save their date stamp?
• Doesn't dive into sub-directories to list all files to be synchronized????
• Is CRC comparison reliable? Shows as different files that have the same size and are really the same

FTP Synchronizer

• http://www.ftpsynchronizer.com
• Can't ignore date stamp
• Supports more than one simultaneous connection
• Supports include/exclude files
• Note: In the 3/8 step, remember to click on Add to actually add folders to be synchronized. Clicking on Next won't do

Easy2Sync

• http://www.easy2sync.de
• Doesn't support hashing and ignoring date/time stamp?

Fling

• http://www.nchsoftware.com
• Copies every file every time?
• Doesn't support ignoring time stamp
• No simultaneous connections

Total Commander

• http://www.ghisler.com
• Previously known as Windows Commander. Command > Synchronize Dirs
• Can ignore time stamp
• No concurrent connections
• Can't create profiles to sync different different directories

Allway Sync

• http://allwaysync.com
• Doesn't support FTP Supports (S)FTP sync

Resources