Offline files sync or Synctoy?

I'm trying to determine if I can use Win7's offline files feature to sync files on my computer with my NAS instead of something like synctoy.

Problem is that everything I read about the offline files feature suggests it is designed to work when the server is home to the "primary" files and they are synced with local files that are essentially secondary copies. In my case my local files will be the primary files I work with every day and that I'll essentially backup every couple of days by syncing them with the NAS. Is offline files gonna work for this and be a decent replacement for synctoy?

 

You want your server to be the primary home of your files. If your laptop files get corrupt and you then go resync them with the server, you run the risk of the server thinking your laptop's version (which is empty) is the most updated version.

Edit:
Oh wait, you are using a NAS. Offline files is a client side feature. So you would have to enable it on the NAS side, if your NAS even supports it.

 

If you were running Server OS on your NAS I could've helped you with this. We have similar set up at work, using a GPolicy in AD and such.

 

If your files are going to live on your laptop, you should make them a network share and have the NAS automatically sync them up on a regular basis. Pain in the butt IMO.

It is much easier to use the NAS as a repository of network shares. Then have your laptop make local copies of the network shares using Offline Files. This way, they both automatically sync constantly and without user intervention.

Edit:
If you do decide to use Offline Files, your NAS can run whatever OS it wants.

 

Problem is that being a laptop it comes traveling with me, so the laptop always has the most up to date versions of file on it, not the NAS. I then want to synch those laptop files with the NAS share when I'm home and docked. Currently I use Synctoy for that, and it sounds like that'll continue to be the best solution.

 

Offline files was designed with your same needs in mind. The local cache is automatically synced with the NAS whenever you join the network.

Now I can see offline files being a problem if other devices are dependent on your laptop to sync those same files.