In this article, you can read about two simple tools with which you can (for example) keep two folders nicely in sync. The second tool automatically ensures that the ‘destination folder’ is securely encrypted, so that you can safely take it with you on a stick.
FreeFileSync is an open source tool and that is always reassuring. The program is pretty straightforward: add two (online or not) folders and sync but.
How? So!
First of all you add two folders for the synchronization. This can be done by dragging and dropping, via the button Leaves or via Access to online storage. If both items are added, the button tells Compare you what the current content differences are.
Now you have to pay attention: first click on the arrow button next to the button Synchronize. You can now choose from several sync modes. By default, it runs in two directions: all data from one folder also goes to the other and vice versa. The Actions Mirroring and Updating on the other hand, run from the left (source folder) to the right (destination folder). If necessary, you can switch both with the button Swapping sides. Bee Mirroring files in the destination folder are deleted if they are not also in the source folder, while at Updating only new or modified files are copied to the destination folder. There is also the option Adjusted and what it should do you determine yourself, via the menu Actions, Synchronization settings. Finally you can with the button Filter keep certain files or folders out of copy operations.
CrocoCryptMirror
Unlike FreeFileSync CrocoCryptMirror only one sync mode: mirroring. But the latter automatically encrypts your data in the target folder with a solid combination of aes and Twofish. For decryption you need a key file in combination with a password. Encryption and decryption makes things a bit slower.
How? So!
When you start CrocoCryptMirror for the first time, you will be prompted for a password for the key file. Make a backup of this ‘keyfile’ immediately. Then click on Create to create a ‘container’ (read: encrypted mirror folder). Refer to the source folder, give a name to your container and indicate a suitable place for it. This can also be a USB stick or a network location, for example.
click on Yes if you want a ‘local sync service’ to continuously monitor the source directory and push any changes in the background to the mirror directory. The container will now appear in the program window.
You can turn this sync on and off at any time (via Turn off / on) or start the synchronization manually. Bee Actions you will find buttons to view the contents of the container (via WebDAV) to decrypt it to another folder and delete it. You can also create new containers in a similar way.
