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Re: Backup Script



on Mon, Oct 21, 2002, Auke Jilderda (auke@jilderda.net) wrote:
> On Sun, Oct 20, 2002 at 12:19:11PM -0700, Karsten M. Self wrote:
> > 
> > Read the following page, then modify the associated script to your
> > system.  It's geared toward tape.  For drive-to-drive, I'd suggest rsync
> > rather than tar.

> Why?

And you _did_ read the rsync manpage?

Tar is useful for creating archives.  If you're looking to create a
live, neartime mirror of a large filesystem, rsync is fast, minimizes
file transfers (useful whether this is over a network or just across the
local bus), and is particularly efficient at whole-system backups.  What
it *doesn't* do is compress or version the results, which can be readily
accomodated with tar or other archive formats.

Note that the solution posed by such backups isn't "how do I recover
files from last year, or from total destruction, of natural or human
origin, of my data center", for which off-site, archived backups are the
_only_ real solution.  Think World Trade Center, flood, fire,
earthquake, burglary, or disgruntled employee.

Rather, it's "administrative or user error, or localized hardware
failure fried a file or three, where can I get them quickly".

"Backup recovery" isn't a single process or answer, because it's not a
single question.  Nearline backups are useful.  They are *not* a
complete solution.

Peace.

-- 
Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com>        http://kmself.home.netcom.com/
 What Part of "Gestalt" don't you understand?
   Reading is a right, not a feature
     -- Kathryn Myronuk                           http://www.freesklyarov.org

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