Re: Backup System
Reposting to the list
On 04/02/12 04:35, Gary Roach wrote:
> To your questions:
<top post re-edited as interleaved style>
>
> On 01/-10/-28163 11:59 AM, Scott Ferguson wrote:
>> On 03/02/12 13:45, Gary Roach wrote:
>>
>>> I have 3 computer running on Debian Squeeze. One has an unused
>>> hard drive that I wish to use as a backup disk for all 3
>>> computers. Is there a simple way to do this that can be
>>> completely automated.
>>>
>>> Gary
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> Yes - there are a large number of ways. (as "apt-cache search
>> backups" will show you)
>>
>> Is there a particular box you wish to control the backups from?
> Yes there is one box that should control the backup process.
>> Is it local?
> All 3 computers are in the same room.
>> Are you a GUI user or do you prefer the command line?
> I don't care whether GUI or command line just as long as it is
> straight forward.
The "straight forward" bit will depend on how well you understand your
requirements. :-)
>> If the former - which desktop are you using?
> I use KDE.
>>
>> How often do you want to run backups? How much space do you have
>> to store backups? How long to you intend to keep backups? How big
>> are the backups you plan on making?
>>
> I want to backup every day. I would prefer incremental backups with
> a full backup say 1 per month. A full backup will probably take no
> more than 5% of the hard drive space. I would prefer that the full
> backup over write or erase the older backups.
> Good questions
I missed (at least) one.... so I'll answer it myself ;-p
If one of those boxen is a database server use LVM snapshots not
selective rsync.
>
> Gary
>>
>> Kind regards
>>
>>
NOTES: "full backup" is this instance means everything required to
restore from bare metal (as opposed to "full data backup"). The
combination of a full backup, and an archive of incremental backups can
allow you to restore a choice of points in time.
If you only want full data backup capability - the suggested daily
backup utilities can do that.
CLI suggestion:-
;rsync on a daily basis, make it a cron job, after the first run backups
will on copy changed files. Very fast, minimal space required.
;fsarchiver for your full backups (it'll cope with ext4), requires nfs
or samba.
;for convenience use WOL (if available) and run the backups during your
downtime.
;not a backup strategy, but useful for recovery purposes - apt-cacher
GUI suggestion:-
;kbackintime for daily backups - for network support, I found fish
unreliable, the alternative is sshfs and autofs.
;FOG[*1] - I use dedicated boxen for it, but you could install it onto
the backup box, or a USBkey.
These are by no means the best, or only solutions. My preference is for
the cli solutions, point and click clients prefer KBackInTime.
Now that your requirements are known others will be better able to give
you useful suggestions.
Some useful references:-
http://wiki.debian.org/BackupAndRecovery
Kind regards
[*1]http://www.fogproject.org/
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