Remote Repository Sync with Macrium Site Manager
Site Manager can automatically synchronize all backups stored in a Repository to a remote server or disk on a daily basis. This can be used to efficiently ensure that offsite replication of backup data is performed. Site Manager will manage storing backups on the server and ensure that the synchronization process has a consistent view of the Repository. The synchronization process will also manage failed and partially uploaded files and ensure the remote copy of the Repository is always in a consistent state.
This feature can be accessed through the Repository page and is configured on a per-Repository basis:
Configuring Remote Synchronization
Viewing a repository and selecting the Synchronization tab will either display information on the remote synchronization configuration or offer the option of creating a new remote synchronization. Clicking Setup Sync will display the Synchronization Setup wizard. The steps of this wizard are described below:
Stage 1 — Synchronization Type
In the first stage of configuration, the type of remote sync is chosen. The types available are Windows Network Share, Local Path and SFTP.
Windows Network Share — Synchronization to any remote server which can communicate as a SMB/CIFS share of the form \\servername\share
Local Path — Synchronization with any file path local to the Site Manager server. This might be a folder, a local USB disk or any other path which can be read and written to as a folder
SFTP — Synchronization to a server running SFTP (such as a Linux server running OpenSSH)
Stage 2 — Network/Local/Server Path
The second stage of configuration includes all the options specific to configuration type. This includes the path to the remote server or folder and any authentication details. The different remote synchronization types need the following details:
Windows Network Share — Network share path in UNC format (\\server\share\folder, backslash separated), username, password and domain. If a domain is entered as part of the username (in DOMAIN\User or user@domain.dns form), the domain field is disabled.
Local Path — Local path in Windows path format (Backslash separated) with optional username, password and domain. If these are omitted, the path is accessed using the SYSTEM account of the Site Manager server.
SFTP — Path the the SFTP server in URI format (sftp://example.com/home/backups/macrium, omitting the leading sftp:// and using forward slash separators), username and password for the remote server.
NB: When configuring an SFTP server, include the full path to the folder to sync to in the server path, NOT the path relative to the user’s home folder. For example, when connecting to a server as user, to sync to the user’s home folder the full path must be specified e.g. example.com/home/user/macrium not example.com/macrium
Stage 3 — Configuration
The final stage configures options which apply to all synchronization types. The options are as follows:
Custom Name — The custom name is shown in the UI to identify the sync. If left blank, the server/local path of the sync will be used instead
Folder Name — The folder name set here will be created on the server/remote path to store the synchronized backups
NB: The path configured as part of the network or server path must exist on the remote server or the sync process will generate an error, however Site Manager will create the folder set as the Folder Name if it does not already exist.
For example, if remote sync is configured with a server of sftp://192.168.0.1/home/backups and a folder name of SiteManager1, the sync process will store image files in /home/backups/SiteManager1, creating the SiteManager1 folder if necessary.
Multiple repositories can sync to the same server/network path so long as the folder name is different for each one.
Synchronization Window — Times — The synchronization window controls what time of day the sync will run. When the start time is reached, Site Manager will stop scheduling backups on the repository, wait for any existing backups to finish then run the sync. After the sync has finished, backups resume. If the sync can’t be started before the sync end time is reached, the sync attempt is abandoned until the following day. This option allows some control over when high internet bandwidth options like sync get run.
Synchronization Window — Frequency — The sync process can be limited to only happening on some days of the week by selecting the desired days here.
Finishing the Wizard
When finishing the wizard, a connection test is performed by the server and any errors are highlighted to be fixed:
Viewing Remote Synchronization Status
Current Server Status
Once Remote Synchronization has been configured, the Synchronization tab on the Repositories page will show the following:
This includes a top section with the current server status — this is periodically updated by Site Manager so that if a Remote Synchronization server goes offline it will be noted and the error shown here. The configuration is also shown here for reference and can be edited.
The Run Now option allows a sync to be started manually. This manually started sync will wait for any active backups in the Repository to finish before starting and will then prevent any backups from starting until the sync is completed.
Last Synchronization Results
This section shows the results of the last sync which ran, including whether it succeeded, any error messages, the amount of data uploaded and which files were affected.
Viewing a Synchronization in Progress
Upcoming syncs are shown in the forecast of the Repository and active syncs are shown in the Activity widget on the Dashboard page just as for backups
Find more information about Macrium Site Manager in our User Guide
Download a Trial of Site Manager
Macrium Site Manager is available at no cost and includes a 30-Day Trial for 5 workstations and 1 server. Additional machines and trial period extensions are available on request. Existing standalone Reflect installations can be managed indefinitely.
