Arch Linux

souenzzo

Member

Registered: 2012-10-31

Posts: 35

Signal between Windows client and Linux server

Hi all
I have a setup with a linux server that checks every day whether the client is connected and make backup (a simple rsync smb://from/here /to/here), but I'm having some problems (shutdown while making backup, slow performance on client while backuping...)

How do I make a button on the client to call the server and say "BACKUP NOW"?

I plan on making a file in /some/path/Backup.txt and a button on the client that writes "backup now" on it. On linux a systemd timer who check every 10 minutes this file. If has something write, starts the backup.

But have any other way to make it without a timer/files writing?

thanks

Last edited by souenzzo (2013-12-13 10:35:38)

nomorewindows

Member

Registered: 2010-04-03

Posts: 3,424

Re: Signal between Windows client and Linux server

I wouldn't trust backups while the operating system is still active.  It would be simpler to have the client booted into a PXE client and rsync from the PXE client.  Just my recommendation anyways.  Running a backup while the system is still running is not a trivial task.

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ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,354

Re: Signal between Windows client and Linux server

I would venture that the easiest way to implement something on the Windows box that has a GUI (implied by the concept of 'Button')  would be to cobble together a simple C# /.NET application for Windows using Visual Studio.  You can obtain the Express version for free (as in beer) from Microsoft.  The tool allows you to build a GUI based application without having to write a single line of C# (at least for the GUI part).  All you would have to write is the callback for someone clicking on the button.

Even easier, I think you can write a script in whatever it is their shell is called and put a link to it on the desktop, or pin it to the task bar.

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souenzzo

Member

Registered: 2012-10-31

Posts: 35

Re: Signal between Windows client and Linux server

ewaller, ok, if I made a C# button, what it will call? if (button_cliqued()) ask_my_linux_to_backup();?

nomorewindows (cool name) gave me a good idea!
make a simple arch setting on the Winmachine to be backed up.
But now I have another problem (seems simpler for me):
make a program "BACKUPME.exe" that
--change the boot order from windows (default) to archlinux and reboot [have no idea how to do it. Maybe a FAT32 /boot partition?]
then boot arch's, make FULL backup, revert to windows the default grub and reboot again (of course I can make it)

I will search how to make the change on boot order/default. Thanks.