Re: [SLUG] Re: backup of linux files

From: Josh Tiner (josh.tiner@worldwidephp.com)
Date: Sun Feb 17 2002 - 14:28:12 EST


Andy:

According to SourceFourge (http://sourceforge.net/projects/amanda-gui/)
there is. I haven't ever used it though. It does appear to be in testing
status - so I'm not so sure if you'd want to download it and use it.

You could always trot down to Barnes n' Noble Booksellers and snag a copy of
the "RedHat Linux 7.2 Bible" (assuming you're using RedHat) and flip through
pages 501 to 508 - all about the quick and dirty on backing up network
computers. It's a great little book I like to keep handy at my desk at work
because I use Linux for everything there. Comes in handy if you wanna know
where a config file or grab a definition of something...

-Josh tiner
e-mail: josh.tiner@worldwidephp.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Andy Woeber" <scoville300@worldnet.att.net>
To: <slug@nks.net>
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2002 1:07 PM
Subject: Re: [SLUG] Re: backup of linux files

> On Sunday 17 February 2002 10:29 am, you wrote:
> Wow, thanks for a good introduction. I currently do not use the network
> capabilities of linux as yet and have only a local machine. I like the
idea
> of doing incremental backups and would like to use the cron scheduler to
> perform them. I need a safe way to test a backup because I used the
"dump"
> program and it detroyed the RedHat filesystem. I probably only need to
make
> a monthly backup of system files and possibly a daily or weekly backup of
the
> home directory. Is there a GUI interface for Amanda backup?
>
> Andy
>
>
>
> > There are different approaches on this.
> >
> > You can backup everything so that you can recreate your computer
basically
> > from scratch. It takes longer and requires more tape space. Or you only
> > backup files that change. I.e config and data files.
> >
> > Backup is done to recover from two things. Either data entry or
basically
> > hard disk failure. If you need to recover some data like an invoice that
> > was deleted you find it on the backup and voila! If you disk crash then
you
> > have to recreate it.
> >
> > The problem you run into is different versions of software. Lets say you
> > buy RH 7.2 and install it today. Two months from now you have made an
> > upgrade to your binaries. So you have the original versions of the CD
and
> > the newer one on the backup. (You may be forced to do upgrades of
binaries
> > due to security issues.)
> >
> > Then you have two ways of backing up. Only incremental backup, i.e.
changed
> > files, or all. This could be a huge factor if you have a LOT of data but
> > only few files change and you don't have the time to be down while it
backs
> > up all you data. I tend to backup all data and config files.
> >
> > There's a factor when you backup live data. (I.e. in use.) You could
backup
> > incomplete transactions. I.e. partial save of the new/modified data.
Maybe
> > you rather have that than nothing. (This could happen when your data is
> > spread across several files, as is often the case with SQL.)
> >
> > Which brings us to the rotation of backup media.
> >
> > Do you need to keep a going record for example for the last year? Is it
> > worth the media and time/space to keep a backup every week or month so
that
> > you can go back to a previous date?
> >
> > At a minimum you have two tapes you cycle through. Two because if the
> > backup fails before it's done, you have no backup.
> >
> > I tend to keep a week regardless. And I seldom backup binaries unless I
do
> > something too custom to easily recreate. Walk through dummy backup
restore
> > and see what you run into. (Preferably on a different but similar
system.)
> >
> > Look at what it takes for you to create a new system to restore to. One
> > rebuilds a computer in about 30 min. Add another 15 to get the latest
> > binaries. Then restore f.ex. your data and you are back in business.
> >
> > Of course now we have another option too, CD's. You can burn to CD/W or
> > CD/RW. There are different conditions that may exist for you that adds
yet
> > another twist to the story. But the above should give you enough to get
you
> > through. As usual I'm happy to give my views and considerations.
> >
> > Steve
> >
> > On Sunday 17 February 2002 07:31, you wrote:
> > > Josh and Steve, I appreciate the suggestions. I will look into the
> > > Amanda interface. I basically want to back up the RH 7.2 root and
home
> > > partitions (approx 4 GB) on a separate area of the hard drive (I have
> > > only one 40GB drive) most of which is devoted to Linux but shares
space
> > > with Win98se. What file directories or partitions should I back up?
i.e.
> > > /usr, /home, everything?
> > >
> > > Andy W.
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "steve" <steve@itcom.net>
> > > To: <slug@nks.net>
> > > Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2002 8:18 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [SLUG] Re: backup of linux files
> > >
> > > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> > > >
> > > > I use tar with gz option to backup some 10G just fine.
> > > >
> > > > On Saturday 16 February 2002 18:58, you wrote:
> > > > > Anyone familiar with the use of "dump" and "restore" to backup
files.
> > > > > I tried the man page for these and tried "dump" on my home
partition
> > > > > directory and ended up corrupting the filesystem. Are there
> > >
> > > alternatives
> > >
> > > > > to the dump and restore program.
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks, Andy W.
> > > >
> > > > - --
> > > >
> > > > Steve
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________________
> > > > No, I don't Yahoo, I have a real e-mail account... : )
>



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