Backing up data is a critical part of any IT strategy. Windows users often seek a reliable solution for protecting their data from loss or corruption. Synology NAS offers a robust and cost-effective platform for backing up Windows systems. Whether you're an individual user or part of a larger business, backing up your Windows system to Synology ensures that your data is stored securely, easily accessible, and protected against system failures.
This guide will explain why and how you should back up your Windows system to Synology, covering different methods including Active Backup for Business, Synology Drive Client, and Vinchin’s powerful backup solution.
Why Backup Windows to Synology?
Synology NAS provides an efficient solution for Windows data backup, ensuring business continuity and data integrity. Here are several reasons why backing up your Windows system to Synology is a smart choice:
Centralized Storage: Synology NAS allows users to store backups in one place, simplifying data management. This centralization makes it easy to organize, access, and restore backups as needed.
Data Protection: With advanced features like data deduplication and snapshot technology, Synology protects your data from accidental loss, hardware failures, and even ransomware attacks. Regular backups ensure that your system can recover quickly from any data loss scenario.
Ease of Use: Synology offers a user-friendly interface for setting up backups, making it simple for both beginners and advanced users to manage their data protection plans.
Scalability: As your data grows, Synology NAS devices can scale with your needs. Synology offers various models that support different storage capacities, ensuring that you can easily expand your storage as required.
Cost-Effective: Compared to cloud backup solutions, Synology NAS provides a one-time investment that doesn’t require ongoing subscription fees. This can be more cost-effective for individuals and businesses in the long term.
How to Backup Windows to Synology NAS with Active Backup for Business?
Active Backup for Business is a powerful tool provided by Synology for Windows PC and server backups. It offers a complete solution for minimal data loss and fast recovery in case of system failures.
1. Install the Active Backup for Business Agent:
Download and install the Active Backup for Business agent from Synology’s Download Center. This agent will allow your Windows system to communicate with the NAS for backup.
2. Set Up a Backup Task:
Open the Active Backup for Business console from your Synology NAS > Go to Settings > Template > Choose the Windows template > Adjust settings such as backup schedule, data compression, and retention policies.
3. Select the Windows Device:
Launch the Active Backup for Business agent on your Windows machine > Enter the IP address of your Synology NAS and authenticate with your credentials > Your Windows device should now appear in the Task List.
4. Choose Backup Source:
Select the partitions or files you wish to backup. Ensure that system partitions and any important data folders are included.
5. Start the Backup:
After confirming all the settings, click Start to initiate the backup. The system will back up the selected data to your Synology NAS.
6. Monitor and Restore:
You can view the backup progress from the console. In case of data loss, the Active Backup for Business console allows for easy data recovery.
This method is ideal for backing up entire Windows systems, ensuring quick recovery even from system crashes or hardware failures.
How to Backup Windows to Synology with Synology Drive Client?
Synology Drive Client is another tool that can backup files from your Windows PC to a Synology NAS. This tool is more suited for file-based backups and offers versioning for recovering previous file versions.
1. Download and Install Synology Drive Client:
Go to the Synology Download Center, select your NAS model, and download the Synology Drive Client installer > Follow the installation steps and launch the client on your Windows PC.
2. Connect to Your Synology NAS:
Open the Synology Drive Client and enter your NAS’s IP address or QuickConnect ID > Log in with your NAS account credentials.
3. Create a Backup Task:
Choose Backup Task and select the files or folders on your Windows PC you want to backup > Set up your backup destination on the Synology NAS > You can also set up backup rules such as continuous backup or scheduled backups.
4. Set Backup Options:
Configure settings such as keeping locally deleted files and choosing backup frequency > If you want to use versioning to restore previous file versions, ensure it is enabled in the backup task settings.
5. Start the Backup:
Click Apply and start the backup task. The Synology Drive Client will start syncing the selected files with your NAS.
How to Backup Windows to Synology with Vinchin?
To enhance your data protection strategy, consider integrating Vinchin Backup & Recovery with your Synology NAS. Vinchin is a professional enterprise-level backup software that supports a wide range of operating systems, including various Windows versions and mainstream Linux distributions like Ubuntu, RHEL, SESE, Oracle Linux, and Debian.
One of Vinchin's standout features is its real-time protection, known as Continuous Data Protection (CDP). This functionality replicates data to a standby machine, continuously monitors the operating system's heartbeat, and automatically takes over business operations through the standby machine in case of failure. Once the original system stabilizes, data can be transferred back, ensuring minimal downtime and data loss.
Vinchin also offers easy configuration of various backup policies when setting up regular backup tasks. These include forever incremental backups, throttling policies, data compression and deduplication, and Changed Block Tracking (CBT). These features optimize backup efficiency and storage utilization.
The user-friendly web console provided by Vinchin simplifies the backup process. Backing up your Windows operating system to Synology NAS using Vinchin involves four general steps:
1. Select Partitions to Backup: Choose the specific partitions of your Windows operating system that you wish to back up.
2. Choose Backup Storage: Designate your Synology NAS as the backup destination.
3. Select Backup Policy: Define your preferred backup policies, such as scheduling and incremental backup options.
4. Submit the Job: Initiate the backup process to start protecting your data.
Vinchin's global customer base and high product ratings reflect its reliability and effectiveness. To experience its comprehensive features firsthand, you can start a 60-day full-featured free trial. Simply click the button below to download the installation package and begin your data protection journey.
Windows Backup to Synology FAQs
Q1. Can I back up my Windows PC to Synology NAS without installing additional software?
Yes, you can use Windows' built-in "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)" feature to back up your PC to Synology NAS without installing extra software.
Q2. How do I back up specific folders from my Windows PC to Synology NAS?
Utilize Synology's Drive Client to create backup tasks targeting specific folders on your Windows PC for synchronization with your Synology NAS.
Q3. How do I restore files from my Windows backup on Synology NAS?
To restore files, access your Synology NAS through the corresponding backup application (e.g., Synology Drive Client or Active Backup for Business) and follow the restoration process to recover your data.
Conclusion
Backing up Windows to Synology provides robust protection for your data. Whether using Synology’s built-in tools like Active Backup for Business or Synology Drive Client, or a more advanced solution like Vinchin, you can ensure that your data is safe. Vinchin offers a flexible and scalable backup solution that fits enterprise needs, providing real-time protection and disaster recovery options.
