Pixel IT - SureSync - Real-time synchronisation & replication

File Replication and Synchronisation

SureSync is a cost-effective data management solution that provides you with flexible and reliable file synchronisation and replication. Whether you need to synchronise files between PC's or multiple servers, SureSync will help you get the task done. SureSync delivers a reliable solution to organisations and individual users as it uses byte by byte comparisons to ensure replication tasks are efficient and maintain data integrity.

SureSync software provides a unique, cost-effective solution for data protection, availability, distribution, and file sharing. SureSync is a synchronization and replication software package, providing your organization complete control over how you copy, protect and synchronize data across your network with reliable and powerful features.

We understand that the movement of data in your organization is critical to your success. That is why SureSync enables your organization to share, distribute, protect, and recover files easily and confidently.

Availability: Disaster Recovery/Data Protection

The need to protect data and maintain a high level of availability is why many organizations turn to SureSync to complement tape backup methods. SureSync gives IT professionals a reliable option to protect files and enable continuous access to the protected file copies. The growing importance of offsite backups makes SureSync a perfect choice for your remote backup solution. Ensure your files are offsite and available by utilizing
SureSync as part of your backup and recovery solution.

Global File Sharing

SureSync’s flexible synchronization methods allow files to be shared throughout your organization, allowing users access to local file copies, providing easy and quick access to information they need to perform their jobs. As files are created, updated, or deleted, those changes will be replicated to all other destinations participating in the file share, improving employee’s productivity as they can expedite jobs more rapidly, provide better service to
customers, and deliver updated information to colleagues immediately.

File and Content Distribution

SureSync has the capability to deliver your corporate data to over 32,000 destinations. While many companies will not need to utilize this power, it is good to know your software solution can handle your network’s need, no matter how large or small your job is. You can utilize SureSync to distribute any type of file, such as daily reports, virus definition updates, application software, web content, etc. Automating data distribution will not only save valuable IT resources, but it can increase knowledge and productivity throughout your organization.

Synchronizing Web Content

Do you manage a webfarm that needs to have identical content on multiple web servers? Do you need to have these files updated everytime a change is made? SureSync can synchronize web content in real-time to multiple machines, automating continuous updates while maintaining identical web content on multiple web servers.

PC / Laptop Data Protection

SureSync will allow you to replicate and synchronize data which resides on PCs, laptops, or workstations, allowing individual users to protect data on the PC to another machine or drive.

Replication & Synchronization

SureSync is the most flexible product in the market with multiple replication and synchronization methods to suit your needs. We refer to our replication methods as 'Rules'and each Rule will handle:-

File changes, updates, and deletions in a different manner.
Multiple one-way and multi-way rules that will allow you to push data one-to-one, one-to-many, or even peer-to-peer.

Scheduling

SureSync's scheduler runs as a true Windows® service.
Collect any number of Relations into a single job.
Automate replication tasks multiple times per day, everyday, days of each week, weeks of each month, days of each month, and even months of each year.
Execute replication tasks on command or real-time (Refer Add-on Products)

Security Maintains Access to Replication Jobs

SureSync has database security down to the job level. Permissions can be assigned on Job Folders, Relations, Schedules, and Real-Time Monitors allowing different users different levels of access to SureSync and the jobs configured in the database. This makes a centralized database much easier to setup.

Group Folders
Job folders allow the user to organize relations, schedules and monitors into individually named folders for simplified management of replication jobs and management of group security.

Job Preview
The preview displays all actions in a tree structure which clearly displays all root paths and the actions taken in a single view without the need to toggle between paths.

Copying / Preserving Security
Within SureSync, you are able to control the copying of security related settings for both Windows and Netware environments.

Copying Security Objects within Windows
Within Windows, users can choose to copy file permissions, auditing information, and ownership. You can also configure SureSync to preserve security objects on replaced files, copy folder security objects to existing folders, and force SureSync to copy file security objects even if the file is not copied. These features will help you maintain and update security of files and folders on your network.

Netware Security
When you specify Netware paths in any synchronization job, SureSync will enable the option to copy Netware Security Trustees and Netware Extended Attributes.

Open File Support
Open file options are available for Windows and Netware File systems. SureSync is able to copy files from open source files. In addition, SureSync administrators have the option to disconnect users from an open file on destinations and then allow SureSync to complete replication.

Open Locked / Open Exclusive File Types
If you are running Windows Server 2003, SureSync is able to take advantage of Windows Volume Shadow Service (VSS) technology to replicate open locked or open exclusive files. Operating on a Windows 2003 Server platform does not require a license for the Advanced Open File Support. If you are running on an older platform than Windows 2003, we offer an Advanced Open File Support (AOFS) Add-on to help you access and replicate open locked and open exclusive file types.
Note: If you are attempting to replicate open locked or open exclusive file types on a system that is remote from your SureSync installation, you will need to license the SPIAgent Add-on.

Job Progress / Status
SureSync's SyncStatus feature allows you to view status of all of your SureSync machines enterprise wide without the need to have access to the SureSync databases. This makes management of remote replication tasks simple and gives a great view of replication progress across your entire organization.

Alerts & Reporting
SureSync offers a wide array of alerts and reporting tools that will keep you in touch with your replication tasks. With SureSync's variety of reporting options, administrators can configure the SureSync Log to report on 7 different levels, from application failures to job summaries and errors. The SureSync Log can be viewed within a SureSync interface and can be exported into CSV or TXT formats. SureSync also offers the option to specify the Windows Event Log recording level. SureSync can also be configured to send alert messages via email using MAPI or SMTP support. Alerts can be configured to report on 5 levels; alerting those who need to know about job completions, errors, application failures, warnings, etc.

Running Scripts
Programs or batch files can be configured to run before and after scheduled and real-time jobs. In addition, administrators have the option of choosing the level of errors allowed in a scheduled or real-time job and still have the script run.

Performance Enhancers

File Copying
SureSync uses native operating system APIs for scanning directories and copying files for optimum performance. It adapts block sizes automatically to optimize performance based on the speed and load on your network and server. SureSync uses fully overlapped operations and writes simultaneously to all its destinations.

Processor Loading
You can control the processor priority used by SureSync with options on a Schedule and Monitor intervals. For example, we recommend you run SureSync with a background priority, minimizing any interference caused by SureSync with other tasks being performed by your server.

Network Loading
To prevent overloading your network, you can set the network load values in SureSync. SureSync accepts a simple parameter to indicate the maximum percentage of network bandwidth that SureSync should utilize, minimizing the effect of SureSync's file copying on other network traffic.

Remote Object Technology
SureSync uses remote object technology to allow jobs to be started and monitored from machines remote from the machines running the job.

Data Integrity
SureSync employs extensive error recovery routines. When a network or file system error occurs, SureSync retries operations at the block, file, and job level. You can set retry parameters on Relations, Schedules, and Monitors. Since temporary files are used, transmission failures will never destroy older versions of files.

CRC Option
By setting this option, SureSync will ensure each time a file is copied a CRC check is performed as an additional step to ensure data integrity, providing an extra layer of protection to ensure the destination files are intact. The caveat of this option is it places an extra burden on your system resources.

Easy to Use
One of SureSync's greatest assets is its flexibility and control it gives you over replication jobs. With a great number of options and functions, it is important that SureSync also be simple to use for the most basic tasks. SureSync includes wizards which greatly simplify the process of setting up a replication jobs and it includes an extensive context sensitive help file which provides many answers to your questions

Real-Time Monitors
Real-time replication increases data availability by continuously monitoring data for updates. Copy files immediately after they change and avoid folder scans that are necessary for scheduled jobs.

Adaptive Delta Technology
SureSync copies only the changes made to a file, reducing synchronization time and decreasing the consumption of network resources.

Delta Processing to Non-Windows Machines
If you map a non-Windows drive to a drive letter on a Windows machine you can process delta copies to that non-Windows machine, giving you bandwidth savings between any machines, regardless of the OS.

Quality of Service (QoS)
QoS allows you to manage the amount of bandwidth consumed by each SureSync job. QoS directly monitors and controls the communications links, providing a more advanced method to control bandwidth than the Network Loading features found in the standard SureSync Server License.

File Compression
Transmit files in a smaller package across your network by compressing them. File compression is particularly useful on slow network connections. SureSync also allows you to specify the level of compression to control the impact on your system.

TCP/IP Transmissions
Transmissions across the Internet give you more options on how you connect to remote machines. Now it is even easier to keep office branches connected to the information they need.

Encryption
Ensure your files are being transmitted securely by utilizing the option to encryption each file transmission. This is an especially useful and necessary tool when transmitting data across the Internet.

Additional Functionality (Add-On Modules)

SPIAgent Ensure high availability and improved replication performance with SureSync's product add-on, SPIAgent. SPIAgent provides the technology to perform real-time replication and more. Below is a list of features that are included when you license the SPIAgent Add-on.

- Real-Time Monitors
  Real-time replication increases data availability by continuously monitoring data for updates. Copy files immediately after they change and avoid folder scans that are necessary for scheduled jobs.
- Adaptive Delta Technology
  SureSync copies only the changes made to a file, reducing synchronization time and decreasing the consumption of network resources.
  
  Delta Processing to Non-Windows Machines
  If you map a non-Windows drive to a drive letter on a Windows machine you can process delta copies to that non-Windows machine, giving you bandwidth savings between any machines, regardless of the OS.
- Quality of Service (QoS)
  QoS allows you to manage the amount of bandwidth consumed by each SureSync job. QoS directly monitors and controls the communications links, providing a more advanced method to control bandwidth than the Network Loading features found in the standard SureSync Server License.
- File Compression
  Transmit files in a smaller package across your network by compressing them. File compression is particularly useful on slow network connections. SureSync also allows you to specify the level of compression to control the impact on your system.
- TCP/IP Transmissions
  Transmissions across the Internet give you more options on how you connect to remote machines. Now it is even easier to keep office branches connected to the information they need.
- Encryption
  Ensure your files are being transmitted securely by utilizing the option to encryption each file transmission. This is an especially useful and necessary tool when transmitting data across the Internet.

ArchiveSync Create versioned backup copies of files, providing an efficient disk-to-disk backup solution. Versioned file copies allow users to quickly restore files to a specified point-in-time, without sifting through tape backups. Additionally, when archiving or restoring, the ArchiveSync Add-on will allow you to backup and restore security privileges as well. Archiving can be done in real-time to continuously protect data, effectively eliminating tight backup windows during the evening. ArchiveSync will also automatically thin out your archive to cleanup storage

Advanced Open File Support (AOFS) The AOFS Add-on allows you greater flexibility over the files you replicate and protect to backup servers or NAS devices. The AOFS add-on provides the ability to replicate files which are open exclusively or open locked to other machines on your network, making it a valuable disaster recovery option.

SPIAgent File Locking Requires the SPIAgent to be licensed and in turn gives you an additional benefit in file sharing environments. The SPIAgent File Locking Option eliminates the possibility that a file could be changed on multiple sides of a synchronization resulting in a more efficient synchronization with zero risk of lost changes. The user that attempts to open a file that is already in use will receive a message that they can open a read-only copy.