Server to Server connection over the web

[Danbabe]

Hi guys,

I am by no means any expert on Windows 2003 Server but a client needs help. I have built several 2003 servers without any problems all registered on the net with static IP addresses.

A client of mine is concerned that their information and files need backing up externally from their building in case of fire or flood. They also have a 2003 Server and wondered if I can somehow set-up a private / secure connection for their server to talk to my server so it can back-up their files externally to my server.

Has anyone any ideas? Whilst I really appreciate you reading and hopefully responding to this problem, if anyone has any answers, could you please describe fully how I can achieve this or send me links to published tutorials that will help me achieve this.

Many thanks chaps.

Dan

[FAT64]

Use Remote Desktop? It's free, it's encrypted and it works.

Edit:

Ahh, I think I misunderstood your post.

Edited December 4, 2007 by FAT64

[Danbabe]

Thanks Fat64 but I was looking for a more automated way that the servers can talk to each other.

There must be some way that you can get the server to back itself up overnight but across the web at a specified time but has to authenticate first.

Anyone?

Dan

[gosh]

Couldn't you just install the ftp service on your computer and configure the other computer to upload the backup to the ftp site on the internet?

-gosh

[Danbabe]

Thanks for your response Gosh. I wonder if this would be safe enough from 'prying eyes' or hackers?

Anyone have ano other ideas or know how to make FTP more safe than just a username and password?

Is there no way this could work based on IP address? Only accept a username and password from a specific IP address only? I don't know...

Dan

[Stoic Joker]

Thanks for your response Gosh. I wonder if this would be safe enough from 'prying eyes' or hackers?

Anyone have ano other ideas or know how to make FTP more safe than just a username and password?

Is there no way this could work based on IP address? Only accept a username and password from a specific IP address only? I don't know...

Dan

Yes the MS FTP can be secured in that fashion. I would also recommend running the service on a "Bastard Port" (e.g. something other than it's default port 21), to prevent the Script Kiddies from flooding the thing with logon requests.

Edited December 4, 2007 by Stoic Joker

[DSF2]

2 words VPN and robocopy job on task scheduler

[Danbabe]

Thanks DSF2. That sounds good - I guess!

How would set up a VPN connection specifically for the purpose and what is Robocopy in scheduler? I have used the windows scheduler several times but never heard of this.

Dan

[fizban2]

to create a VPN connection between the 2 server you would need to have one server (most likely your own) install Routing and Remote Access, install the VPN features and configure the remote server to connect to your VPN (L2TP would be the recommended way) From there you can download the Server 2003 resource toolkit, robocopy.exe can be found here. robo copy is very versitile in what it can do, in your case if the just want mirror some directories onto your server you can use

Robocopy <source location> <destitnation location> /MIR

you can add that command to the windows scheduler (add the robocopy exe then add the command line arguements) to run when it is required. depending on your connection to the other server and the number and size of the files. this could take several hours

[DSF2]

fizban explained pretty much everything. Create the vpn connection , and then copy robocopy.exe on your server , create a batch file with the apropiate parameters and add it to task scheduler.

Cheers

[Gekko_uk]

Hi,

Dont know if you have already sorted this... but here is my two bits worth.

I do exactly this, for fire/flood reasons.

It depends on how large the file sizes are of the files you will be backing up and what connection upload/download rate you have at both ends - it will obviously run at the slowest connection that exists between each site.

I have the following setup:

2 x draytek routers on a 8MB adsl Max line (one at office, and one at backup site).

Then I have a LAN to LAN vpn between the sites which allows me to map a network drive on Server which exists on server in Backup office.

I then use a peice of software - Smart Sync Pro which checks each night for any changes and copies accross what has changed between sites.

It has a reporting tool which email's log files to me detailing status/what copied/what never copied etc.

It may be an idea to take an exact copy of everything onto another site and put it onto drive that way offline, hence initial backup will be small has the biggest one will be the first one, which you have done already!

Cheers

Gekko

[x10a]

you may want to look at ssh and rsync(freessh + cwrsync, they may be abit harder to setup but they do cut down some time for backups especially if you are copying large amoutn of data via soho connection...), VPN + backup/copy scripts also works.