Arch Linux

S.C.Franklin

Member

Registered: 2024-05-22

Posts: 22

good backup program?

What is a good backup program to save the HOME directory? I'm using pica but wonder if there is something better. Thanks.

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,651

Re: good backup program?

I am partial to rsync

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Rsync

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Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
The shortest way to ruin a country is to give power to demagogues.— Dionysius of Halicarnassus
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topcat01

Member

Registered: 2019-09-17

Posts: 294

Re: good backup program?

My approach is to use the most basic tool possible, and only use something higher level if absolutely needed. rsync is also my primary tool. However, if you want snapshots, then either btrfs/zfs or restic (my preference)/borg can give that to you. I often use the send feature of btrfs for incremental backups and snapshots. So:

- btrfs send+snapshots on Linux
- rsync to back up to my Linux server from !linux OS (I have macos and *BSD, but also works for Windows)
- restic to store backups with snaps in situations where I cannot use btrfs because restic has the best crypto and a data integrity scrub function
  This is also useful to create an encrypted and checksummed store for cloud backup services like Backblaze or Crashplan
- rsync for any kind of file transfer, not cp because rsync has checksum verification for all (new) file copy operations

I'll admit that I'm slightly paranoid about corruption. I'd never store anything important on a non-checksumming filesystem.

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,651

Re: good backup program?

This might be a good point to reinforce the following.   A backup is not a backup unless it is tested.   A system is not backed up unless there is a backup that is not on site.

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Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
The shortest way to ruin a country is to give power to demagogues.— Dionysius of Halicarnassus
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way