I'm looking for recommendations on backup software that can handle different types of disks like SCSI, IDE, and SATA. My setup includes a client computer that connects to these disks, mainly when they're offline, using adapters or native ports. I want to back these drives up to a central storage server on the same network, but in a separate room. I need software that supports raw sector-by-sector cloning—not just file-level backups. The client only accesses one disk at a time since the disks aren't always live or hot-swappable. The destination for the backups is a storage server accessible via SMB or NFS, and I need it to work with non-system disks, whether they are raw partitions or full drive images. A user-friendly GUI is a must. I'm open to free or open-source options but not strictly limited to them. I've previously used HDD Raw Copy Tool, but it doesn't write directly to network drives and lacks flexibility. Also, we've had issues with employees accidentally wiping everything, so I'm looking for something robust against those kinds of mishaps.
3 Answers
I definitely recommend checking out Macrium Reflect. It's great for sector-by-sector raw imaging and supports direct disk-to-image operations. You can back up whole disks, partitions, MBR, GPT—everything you need. Plus, it has a user-friendly GUI, so you won't need complex command-line tools. You can save images straight to your LAN backup box without any hassle. Also, it works well with non-system disks, so you're covered there. One more thing—it's easy to lock down backup destinations and enable encryption to help protect against accidental data wipes. They even offer a free 30-day trial if you want to try it out!
Clonezilla is another solid option, though it has a text-based interface. It’s pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it. It handles disk cloning well, but if you're leaning towards something more user-friendly, it might not be the best pick.
I've recently transitioned from Veeam due to costs, and I'm now using Restic. It does require some setup and monitoring, but I've found it reliable and effective. If you're looking for something with a GUI and easier installation, consider Rubrik's solutions for backup and recovery—they're user-friendly and reliable too.
Agreed! Macrium Reflect has saved me so much trouble. Just be sure to explore all the options it offers for scheduling and verifying backups. It's quite versatile.