backup solution?

freeballer · 2009-11-26 08:30:18

I'm using a simple tar command now, absolutely it works right now.
I'm worried my folder tends to GROW. Especially when I move my previous logs, emails from backup.
My last backup solution was windows so will not cite what it was. I tried bacula and it seemed to hate me (lots of errors).

I'm fairly good at linux, I'm not a genious but I can still do 75% of stuff and the rest read/learn. I've read the wiki, the package lists, forum and google. There is an information overload and not sure what todo.

I want simplistic, but with options. It would rock if command line (at least something I could shell and run or in crond)
I want something that would backup/restore in non-proprietary filenames (tar, zip, 7z)
it would have a list of included/excluded directories/folders
*exlude would allow wildcard file extensions, directory named (wildcard also - like *tmp, *Cache, *.iso)
would be nice to have file size exclude or maybee after date
would be nice if settings as well were backed up, or allowed import/export of configs

gui's are nice, and usually easy to setup and junk, some programs are fine but the last solution I had took 3hrs to backup same data as original window program took 10-15 mins

I'd appreciate the help. I am a bit past newb but its such a vague question
I just really need some good feedback on some, or brainstorm with some of you

OH... and not partition/disk imagers either. Good idea, not useful for home computer. Thanks
(forgive some grammar - its 4am lol)
Geo

Last edited by freeballer (2009-11-26 08:32:03)

.:B:. · 2009-11-26 09:02:42

Rsync can do most of what you want, combined with a compression utility.

Man rsync

bernarcher · 2009-11-26 09:52:03

This is a script I use to backup my whole system to an external disk on a daily basis.

#!/bin/bash
#
if [ -d /mnt/sysbu ]
then
  mkdir -p -v /mnt/sysbu
fi

mount -v -t ext3 /dev/sda2 /mnt/sysbu
rsync -av --delete --delete-excluded --exclude="/tmp/" --exclude="/sys/" --exclude="/proc/" --exclude="/mnt/" --exclude="/dev/"  /   /mnt/sysbu
df -h
umount -v /mnt/sysbu

It has the drawback of not backing up empty directories (i.e. /dev/, /proc/, /sys/ needed for full funcionality. This can be changed easily in the options. however.

.:B:. · 2009-11-26 10:14:11

There is no point in backing up a live /dev, /proc or /sys - they are all dynamically populated afaik. Also, you'll get errors during copying at some point.

wuischke · 2009-11-26 10:27:03

My experience is from local backups for fast restore (for when you receive a call "I accidentally overwrote file x...") and off-site backups.

After using rsnapshot for a while, I switched to rdiff-backup, which was lighter on the resources and also on disk-space. It has one mirror (identical copy) of the data to backup and historical data in compressed form. (to restore a file how it was for instance 4 days ago)

For offsite-backups I use tarsnap (great software, but you have to pay for bandwith and storage, I pay less than 5€/month for ~15-20GB Data (equals about 5GB storage) and daily backups) and duplicity to a ftp server (I use livedrive, ~45€/year for 100GB).

duplicity, rdiff-backup and rsnapshot use the rsync-algorithm whilst tarsnap uses an interesting encrypted snapshot model with compression and duplicate data elimination.

Last edited by wuischke (2009-11-26 10:27:29)

bernarcher · 2009-11-26 13:42:42

B wrote:

There is no point in backing up a live /dev, /proc or /sys - they are all dynamically populated afaik. Also, you'll get errors during copying at some point.

Sure, but they must exist as empty directories. Otherwise Linux won't work.

There are backup strategies using rsync which keep those empty directories. Backup runs will be somewhat slower (and more verbose) if you don't "--delete-excluded" (I think this was the option - it is some time since I set up the script).

.:B:. · 2009-11-26 13:45:29

My bad - I misread your post. Was under the impression that you used it to copy a live system, if it's not mounted they're just empty indeed.

freeballer · 2009-11-26 14:29:33

bernarcher, what about filtering those to a tar.gz? (in the script) (eg. rsync->destination->zip destination->delete files?)
I haven't seen any rsync scripts zip the files afterwards. For the sake of sanity I think I need something that'll zip,tar,7z it afterwards.
I have a network attached and a large thumbdrive, so space isn't too bad and the nas has ssh/ftp.

and no, sorry. If I mentioned a live enviroment I meant in passing. My arch install is now working and worked harder getting this working than my ubuntu install. Really need it backed up regularly in case

Arch Linux

#1 2009-11-26 08:30:18

backup solution?

#2 2009-11-26 09:02:42

Re: backup solution?

#3 2009-11-26 09:52:03

Re: backup solution?

#4 2009-11-26 10:14:11

Re: backup solution?

#5 2009-11-26 10:27:03

Re: backup solution?

#6 2009-11-26 13:42:42

Re: backup solution?

#7 2009-11-26 13:45:29

Re: backup solution?

#8 2009-11-26 14:29:33

Re: backup solution?

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