Re: Tape backup under Linux

On Tue, Aug 08, 2006 at 11:36:49AM -0600, Lance Levsen wrote:
> Scott Walde wrote:
> > What software are people using for tape backups under Linux nowadays?
> >
> > I want to be able to do full/incremental backups automatically (cron) as
> > well as have a simple-to-use graphical tool for browsing the backups and
> > restoring files.
> >
>
> I use a combination of tar and rsync. Tar for the full backups but it
> will do incremental backups too. I prefer rsync but it isn't a backup,
> it's a snapshot. I don't use deletes on the rsync though.
>

I'm still do backups the old fashioned way, scripts/command line.

Depending what I'm doing it'll be either tar, rsync or mkisofs.

I use tar for regular backup purposes and generally keep a file listing when
the archive is created. My tape drive is only DDS2 so I generally lean
toward DVD+RW's now.

If I'm archiving stuff that will need random access then I usually just do
ISO images and burn to CD/DVD media. The cost is a bunch of temporary disc
space for the images and some effort to change media more often than big
tapes.

I like rsync for maintaining a warm spare of my servers (linode <-> home) in
case one goes TU, I can bring critical functions up on the other quickly. I
do the same on our twin servers at work although we're moving to VMWare ESX
and will be changing the backup strategy.

At work, we run RHEL so I can use LVM to take a snapshot of the filesystem
so it will be backed up in a consistent state. On my personal servers
(OpenBSD and a linode), I usually just do a hail mary and hope nothing is
too badly messed up running backups at a quiet time.
Received on Tue Aug 8 12:23:34 2006