How do i backup laptop or mac computer ?

Question

Hi everyone,
I have a network:
T1 line --> router -->Mac OS X server 10.4.4--> switch (24 ports)--> workstation A, workstation B, workstation C, laptop 1, laptop 2, laptop 3...
All the workstations and laptops are using Mac OS X 10.4.x
How do i backup certain folders in the workstations ?
How do i backup certain folders in the laptops automatically whenever the user plug the laptops to the network ? We are using Cat-5 cable in our network. The reason we want to do that because the user are taking laptop home overnight to work or travel, so we want to backup the data just in case something happen.
Or If you have better backup solution for this situation please feel free to post here. I'm really appreciate that. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I have been experimenting using AppleScripts I have written to do this semi-automatically (the user clicks on the script to start the back up) so multiple teachers logging on at the beginning of the day doesn't hog resources. I don't want it to be automatic.
I am a relatively recent convert back to Apple (used Apple II's in graduate school back in the 1970's) and would like to only back up files that have changed, rather than backing up all files every time as in this DOS batch file:
set username=johndoe
set ShareName=\\Server\Users
xcopy "C:\My Documents\." "%ShareName%\%username%\Documents\." /s /v /m
The /m parameter tells the xcopy program to check the file's archive bit to see if the file has been modified and only copy if the file if the bit it on and when the copy is complete.
The /s parameter copies subfolders like the -R in the Unix cp command.
The /v parameter tells it to verify the copy.
Issues related to automatic backup:
1. Password access to server requires embedding password into the script, potentially a giving thief access to your server.
2. Backup kicking off when it would be annoying to the user: slow performance for other tasks attempted.