Linux Backup

Alec Clews@alecthegeek

alec.clews@gmail.com

Assumptions

● Linux● Personal System

– Not enterprise backup plan!!

● Simple and quick

Because one day....

Image: 'Licorne 2'

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Ask yourself...

● Amount of data● Frequency of change● Affect of loss

Restoring your work

● Linux Operating System● Software and settings● Release DVD, paper notebook, ...

● Work in progress● Documents, account files, email, code,...● USB Drive, Cloud, DVD,

● Keys, personal config settings● Multiple copies● CD/DVD, USB thumb drive, Online

Backup Media

● CD/DVD ROM● Online e.g. DropBox● Small media e.g. USB Thumb Drives● Large Portable Media● Another Machine● Remote Storage

– email servers– "cloud"

DVD/CD ROM

● Off-site● Robust,cheap, universal, long lived

● Static files● Media collections (beware size)● ssh and GnuPG keys

Image: 'Information Superhighway'

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Online● “Set and forget”● Limited free storage● Useful for passwords (encrypted), rc files etc● Keep files in online folder, use links to original

location

Large Drives

Image: 'My Book'

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Large Drives contd.

● Cheap (1Tb < A$80!)● Simple to use● Format as NTFS. Universal restore● Do not encrypt● You still need off-site copies of critical info.

Tools

● Drag and drop in file manager● Back In Time http://backintime.le-web.org/ ● Command Line interface e.g.$ tar czf /media/backups/bkps_$(date \

+%C_%m_%d­%k_%M).tgz $HOME

$ cp ­a <src> <backup>

Plan

● How much● Use files analysis tools

● When● Weekly?● Daily?● Online?

And Finally

● Backupas are useless without a way to restore● Your hardware will fail and you will make

mistakes. Backups will save your mental health● Simple plans and regular routines

● Make sure you backup hidden files and directories

● In Linux the hidden names begins with “.”