On 12/04/2007 05:19 PM, Michael Pobega wrote: > On Tue, Dec 04, 2007 at 04:04:47PM -0600, Ron Johnson wrote: >> On 12/04/07 15:09, Michael Pobega wrote: >>> What is d-u's preferred method of backups? Now that I'm running servers >>> on my system (Apache, MySQL, SSH, etc.) I need to find a good method of >>> backing up, because no matter how much security someone has things may >>> still go wrong. >>> >>> So list your preferred methods of creating/restoring backups and the >>> pros and cons. Thanks! >> *Much* more information needed. > > > Sorry, I wasn't thinking. > >> How much stuff? 50MB? 5GB? 500GB? 5TB? > > > 80GB HDD. It isn't full, of course, but that's the maximum (Currently > about 45 GB) > >> How compressible is it? Text/MySQL files or MP3s and JPGs? > > > I wouldn't know the answer to that questions. > >> How important is it? Your own stuff, or a business' stuff? > > > It's pretty important; It's my own stuff, it has all of my school work, > programming work, pictures, videos, and configuration files on it. > >> How big of a window do you have to back it up? 30 minutes at 23:15, >> and you're fired if it goes past midnight? All night between 17:30 >> and 07:30? > > > A weekly night-backup would be my preferred method. > >> How often will the lusers will "Michael, this stupid computer ate my >> work. Bring it back!!" (Meaning, of course, that they >> stupidly/carelessly deleted/overwrote it.) If it's a database, will >> the developers want regular copies restored for testing? > > > It's just my own stuff...The odds are probably low of someone deleting > my work by accident, but better safe than sorry. > >> Frequency? Nightly, weekly, every-other-day? > > > Weekly. > >> Retention? Keep backups for a month? Quarter? Year? 7 years? > > > I'd probably keep backups for two weeks, so I've have two backups at any > given time. > >> Budget? Always a killer... > > > I have another laptop sitting around with a 60GB HDD; Could I use that > as a backup? > > Otherwise all I have is a 4GB pendrive and no money (But I could get my > hands on an 80GB External HDD easily) > >> As for backing it up, tar. Works like a champ. > > > Just `tar -cvvf backup-`date`.tar /`? Is it really that simple? >
Ron Johnson has asked some really good questions. You may decide to use multiple strategies for backup, depending on your various needs. For etch, I use duplicity, which compresses/encrypts incremental backups, to back up my desktop (/home and /etc) to both a local and a remote box via ssh. It's automatic, gpg security, and very easy. Disadvantage is needing my gpg key and duplicity to restore a total disaster. Works well for me so far. Regards, Ralph -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
