Synchronization is a way of maintaining the same files on your desktop computers and on your Axentra Server, and keeping them up to date. When the file in one location changes (for example, you change some text in a document on your PC) the file is resynchronized with the other location (in our example, the Server) so that the changes are reflected in both locations. Synchronization is sometimes known as replication, because that is essentially what is happening: the changed file in one location is being replicated in the other location, replacing the out of date version.

Backup and Synchronization with your Axentra Server requires you to install the Axentra Back-N-Sync Client on your computer. This is the application that allows you to choose which files to Back-N-Sync and manage when it occurs. The Axentra Back-N-Sync client can be downloaded from the Settings area of the Application Center, or from http://axentra.com/downloads/sync.html. Download the Axentra Back-N-Sync client and install it on your client computer (PC, Mac, or Linux workstation).

Desktop Backup and Synchronization also requires that your Axentra Server allow connections via the SSH and HTTPS protocols. Check with an Administrator of your Server, and ask them to enable those services on the Network Services page of the Administration area.

The first time that you run the Axentra Back-N-Sync client, you will need to enter your Net-Box's server address, as well as your username and password. Once you have entered this information, click the Done button, or select an option from the left bar, and your account settings will be saved.

The Folder List panel shows a list of all the folders you've chosen to Back-N-Sync. To add folders to the list, click the Add Folder... button, and a folder selection dialog will pop up. Note that if you try to add a folder outside of the Root Folder (see the section called “Advanced Settings”), you'll get an alert message.

As its name suggests, Axentra Back-N-Sync can be used to either backup, or to synchronize, your desktop PC files to your Axentra Net-Box. By default, it operates in backup mode, unless you've previously used the Axentra Synchronization program. (See the section called “Advanced Settings” for information on changing the mode.)

To Back-N-Sync one or more folders, simply select them, and click the Back-N-Sync Selected button on the left. That folder and all its subfolders will be synchronized between your PC and the Net-Box, and its icon will become green. You can also synchronize all folders in your list by clicking the Back-N-Sync All button.

You can select any folder and press Refresh Folder Status, Green icon means it's up-to-date, Red means copies on desktop on server are different. At any time you can hover over a folder, and its status will be displayed as a tool-tip.

To get the most benefit out of synchronization, the Axentra Back-N-Sync client should be running continuously on your desktop computer for as long as you're signed in to it. It can then automatically Back-N-Sync all your marked folders in several ways. You can configure automatic operations by selecting the Preferences panel from the left of the window, and then clicking Schedule. You can then opt to have Back-N-Sync performed either at fixed intervals or at a specific time of day, as well as when you start and/or exit the Axentra Back-N-Sync client. Once you have selected the settings you desire, return to the Folder List panel and they will automatically be saved.

The Axentra Back-N-Sync client keeps a log of the last five operations performed. You can view these reports by selecting the View Back-N-Sync Report... button at the left of the window. Each report gives the date and time of the operation, a list of the folders which were synchronized, and if there were conflicts, the files concerned.

By default, Axentra Desktop Back-N-Sync operates in backup mode. Changes made on your desktop PC simply overwrite the same files in the Back-N-Sync root folder on the Server. It is simple, but not very powerful.

Synchronization works by checking to see if a file has been modified since the last synchronization operation, and then determining which version was modified (on the desktop computer or on the Server) and copying that version to the other location so that they are the same again. But what happens if a file has been modified in both locations since the last synchronization operation? In this case you will encounter what is called a conflict.

When there is a conflict, the Axentra Back-N-Sync client cannot determine which copy of the file is the right one to use. It is up to you to decide what should happen in this case. The Axentra Back-N-Sync client skips over any files which would have conflicts, in order to allow you to sort out the issue. To see which files had conflicts, select the View Back-N-Sync Report... button at the left of the window, and read the report.

On the Preferences panel of the Axentra Sync client, there is a section entitled Advanced. In this section, there are several advanced settings to be aware of: