[thelist] keeping the computers synchronized

[Jeniffer C. Johnson]

I'm in search of a solution. I do most of my client work from my desktop
machine. While I do back up client files to CD periodically, as well as at
the end of any large project, there are often files I don't have backed up
sitting on my documents drive. Recently, however, I've found myself
traveling more often, which leaves me doing client work from the laptop. My
problem is keeping current copies of my client files on the laptop, with as
little work on my part as possible. Currently I've got Win2000 pro
installed on both machines, and via my network at the house I have the
important directories in the desktop's document drive synchronizing to be
"available offline" on the laptop. The problem with this solution is that
any new directories or subdirectories created on the desktop do not
automatically get picked up by the laptop when it synchs. I have to go into
the laptop, remember what all I've created recently on the desktop, and set
THOSE directories to synch as well. This is time consuming, and at best
it's a disaster waiting to happen. I find myself, for example, suddenly
faced with having to leave town this weekend for a funeral, and I've spent
the last few hours trying to remember what I've worked on in recent weeks,
trying to make sure I don't end up without vital files while out of town.

So what do you all do to keep your machines synchronized?

Jeniffer