Doing backups while MBP is asleep

Question

I just bought a MBP a week ago. Love it so far. Each night I just close the lid and put it to sleep. I'm trying to get some backups running at night so I have tried to schedule the laptop to wake up in the middle of the night so the backup software (SD!) can do its job.
I have been able to get the MBP to wake up on schedule but it required me to turn off requiring a password on wake from sleep.
Is there some typical solution that allows me to have backups performed during the night while the laptop is sleeping without sacrificing security?
Thanks,
Rick

Answer 1

OK, here's a summary after readng some postings on the SD! site.
1) SD! creates cron jobs for its scheduled jobs
2) cron jobs don't run if the computer is asleep or if the user isn't logged AND in the forefront.
3) If you require a password on wake from sleep then using the power options to wake up from sleep some time during the night is pointless since you won't be there to enter a password.
4) SD!'s cron job entries require a GUI to be opened. This will fail if the screen saver is on and requires a password.
So the only combination that appears to work, at least with SD!, is:
1) Schedule all the backups in SD! as needed.
2) Disable auto sleep.
3) Each night before leaving the computer for the night, wake it up if needed, ensure SD! is running, then start the screen saver.
This will allow cron to run and since SD! was already running the locked screen saver isn't an issue.
Optionally configure the SD! backups to sleep the computer when complete to conserve power and let the computer cool off.
Rick