OT: In-house maintenance laptop file synch with server

Hey fellas,

My IT guys not at work today so I figured I'd ask here. I've got a couple of maintenance laptops that the guys use to talk to drives and a couple of oddball PLCs not on a network. We have always struggled with keeping up-to-date files on the laptop hard drives so the guys would be working with the latest and greatest versions.

I finally have a couple of nice new laptops for them to use and want to go that extra step and save all the latest & greatest files on our server and both laptops. Won't be like that for long though once the guys start working with them. Traditionaly I would manually check file dates and set them back up, copying the newest to where ever it needed to be.

Both laptops have wireless capabilities and I can log on to our network using a global maintenance username. What I'd like to do is set up a synchronization task or routine that would check to make sure the laptop is up to date or vice versa. Maybe have the guys log on in the shop to do the synch before going out into the field where the wireless network can't reach. Or maybe do it when they get back or both.

Any suggestions on how to accomplish this file synchronization? Windows or 3rd party? FYI...we'd be looking to synch files from a variety of locations, not simply to/from one folder.

I would use a batch file or synctoy at startup and shutdown to update the files.

if you have access to the network I've had good luck just keeping a acessable drive that is used to store all files for maint/automation.

Out maint department bought into it with no problem after a bit of training.

Just a suggestiong. Keep in mind you need to have access to the network at the location of the machine.

Thanks for the link averytc

Chris S said:

I've had good luck just keeping a acessable drive that is used to store all files for maint/automation...you need to have access to the network at the location of the machine.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately that's not the case. Our signal drops to nothing inside the MCC rooms where our drives are mounted, so the guys have to save their work on the laptops local HD.

It's getting that file to the server and the other laptop that I'm trying to make as easy as possible.

We are currently in the process of setting up Version Control Software. Where the maint. guys will "book out" the latest version of the software then go out into the field do what they need to and then book it back in. When they book it in they will asked to provided comments on what has changed. From what I understand the version control software is also capable of regularly comparing plc programs between what is in the plc and what it has in its repository. It's not operational yet so I cant tell you much more. Search for MDT Version Control

You need to use a version control system as Dua Anjing suggested

We have used QVCS in the past
http://www.qumasoft.com/index1.html
It is relatively cheap and easy to use.