Backup solution for multiple laptops

[kolaval]

I need to backup important files from a few laptops.

They're not always on the same network.
I cannot control where they save the files (sometimes desktop, sometimes downloads, sometimes documents etc).
I'm hesitant to use google drive because :
1. I have no real control over the laptops (had to fix one only to find the users kid is downloading torrents). So I don't want them having access to files from the other laptops.
2. I do not know if you can limit the file types effectively. I was using google drive until one user decided to clean the photos etc off their phone unto the laptop and bam google drive full.

So I'm thinking cheap VPS + SFTP with a user for each laptop.
Each laptop runs freefilesync which will sync specified files with FTP site.

Any alternatives or better ideas?

 

[InvisibleJim]

Probably syncthing to a Nas or Rclone to cloud storage of your choice. You may have to choose which folders you back up(and if they save outside those folders it's tough) but probably you do that with FreeFilesync anyway.

 

[Rackzar]

I need to backup important files from a few laptops.

They're not always on the same network.
I cannot control where they save the files (sometimes desktop, sometimes downloads, sometimes documents etc).
I'm hesitant to use google drive because :
1. I have no real control over the laptops (had to fix one only to find the users kid is downloading torrents). So I don't want them having access to files from the other laptops.
2. I do not know if you can limit the file types effectively. I was using google drive until one user decided to clean the photos etc off their phone unto the laptop and bam google drive full.

So I'm thinking cheap VPS + SFTP with a user for each laptop.
Each laptop runs freefilesync which will sync specified files with FTP site.

Any alternatives or better ideas?

Hi Op,

If you plan to role your own then have you considering using something like https://www.duplicati.com/ which supports multiple backends such as SFTP which you can still use a VPS to self host the data.

For backups you would benefit from incremental support for version control.

 

[kolaval]

Hi Op,

If you plan to role your own then have you considering using something like https://www.duplicati.com/ which supports multiple backends such as SFTP which you can still use a VPS to self host the data.

For backups you would benefit from incremental support for version control.

Shot thanks
how many FTP users do you support on your Promail - Business Email Hosting Enterprise packages?

 

[Rackzar]

Our Promail packages are dedicated email only services and don't support any web or FTP hosting unfortunately.

How much storage space do you require for your backups... perhaps a VPS is better suited?