Multiple Computers and static home folder across machines

[The Stigenator]

I use multiple computers during the day / week / month. Most days it is a windows machine, others its a mac, or a linux machine. I can do work from any machine at any time from anywhere.. but I have found that I am now duplicating a lot of the files, because I keep a local copy on each computer....

The problem is that I want one place where I can store my files securely, and be able to access, edit and sort etc. I have google drive and dropbox paid subscriptions, I also have a 1TB WD NAS (WDMYCloud 1st Gen) on the network at home. I use google drive primarily for my picture storage from the phone and other stuff, and sometimes the google drive saves stuff on there, and sometimes use google docs (though I have yet to get used to docs lifestyle). Dropbox (1TB) is primarily where I store all the important files that I need a crunch - like insurance, important documents, passport, bank statements etc. This stuff is funnily enough on random computers, and get uploaded to Dropbox, and so I end up with fragmented files on the local copy.

I can access Dropbox and google drive from anywhere I got internet, and the NAS if I VPN into the network at home (which I recently found irritating trying to VPN in from UAE and China, where VPN's are banned!).

Basically, I want the "My documents" folder accessible across all the computers. I have it currently sitting on my NAS but it's only accessible on the network when logged on at home or if you VPN into the home network. I guess that works for now, but I find that I need to make a backup of it somewhere securely. I can't seem to find a good way to remotely back it up automatically somewhere. I don't mind having it go to my dropbox or google drive for a regular backup.

The secondary issue is that I use LibreOffice on the mac and Linux, and MS office on the PC (though I should install LibreOffice on the windows machines). I use Dropbox and its office editor when I am working on Dropbox, but from work, I can't access the VPN so the files at home get duplicated at some point... and then i cant tell which is the latest version...

The kind of files I keep can be anything from word documents, excel and access documents, PDF's, etc. I need a solid solution. Its driving me nuts!

 

[mindless1]

Sometimes I find it easier to just work from a USB flash drive, and for those docs on one, I back them up to a second USB flash drive.

 

[The Stigenator]

Well I went ahead and bought a Synology DS - that should allow for some redundancy on the backups. It should be here later today. I think the best option is still to keep the critical files on Dropbox (security is better than google drive) but that solves one of the big issues. I will have to get the workflow going through, but one baby step at a time. I did play a bit with google docs today at work. I think its a workable solution for some stuff. Though I feel its limited in capabilities, but I am sure as I get into it, I'll adjust.

I was able to pick up a WD Cloud EX2 Ultra 8TB also to offload my pictures on a Raid Array. That way I have 2 identical backups on the network (for the catalog & source files) and a 3rd on the computer that I am working on and then the original backups on blu-ray data.

 

[The Stigenator]

I cancelled the WD Cloud EX Ultra for a Synology DS418Play .. but I am having a weird issue now.

is there a way to make sure its copying teh files accurately. I am finding that the files are not all going across the network. One folder is missing about 300 mb and 2000 small files. What do we use for copying data over the network to make sure its copying it over correctly (be it desktop to NAS or NAS to NAS)

 

[dave_the_nerd]

What do we use for copying data over the network to make sure its copying it over correctly (be it desktop to NAS or NAS to NAS)

Generally speaking, drag and drop works.

Allocation block size will be different on the NAS than it is on your computer, so folder sizes can be different even if file count is the same.

Or there was maybe a permissions problem reading the files. Or maybe the NAS is ignoring some system/hidden files. (Files starting with a "." are often skipped.)

To do a re-copy of just the missing files, you can use the robocopy.exe command line utility. (Or find a GUI front end for it like RichCopy or something.)

 

[The Stigenator]

ooh i can use robocopy and richcopy.. thanks

I am not sure what was causing the issue, i wish I knew, but the sector size issue was something i started with, but realized it wasnt a sector issue when the directory tree wasn't exactly the same.. it just omitted files.

Today I am going to put in two 3TB (rebuilding the raid) and then i'll try robo copy drives in into the DS218j, but the 418play is on its way in..