backing up linux server??

[ducphong]

I'm kinda new to linux, I can get to the shell and find my way around.

I have been asked by my non-computer boss to back-up their linux server. I really serves as a fileserver that everyone at the office is storing data and our acounting database, but it has absolutely no backup, not such a great idea.

Not being a Linux expert, I'm not too sure I want to do what they want and install a tape drive into the linux machine. Here was my thought. Since all the winedows machines networked in can access all the files that need to be backed up in public. Would it be an ok idea to install a tape drive on a windows machine and back up the server remotely on the win machine?

Thanks a million.

 

[Morsing]

I would be good to know a bit more about your setup.
How much data??
Do you have backup software??
Is anything else being backed up??
Why don't you want to use a local tape??

Cheers Henrik Morsing
Certified AIX 4.3 Systems Administration
& p690 Technical Support

 

[ducphong]

Sorry, the server is running Red Hat 7.2. There is only about 5 Gig of data to be backed up. Max of 8 GIg on the Server itself. I doubt they will ever go beyond that.

No I don't have any backup software. I have to be honest I'm not that great at linux and I don't want to mess it up. Basically, I wanted to know if if would work to not have the backup system locally on the linux server.

Of course, if you guys have any recomendations let me know. I researched it on the net and I have come across all sorts of software to do backups on Linux. I guess my main concern is waht hardware to use. I get mixed reviews on what hardware is compatible with LInux. If you think the amount of data is not too large that I could do remote backup, then let me know. Otherwise please recommend some type of hardware and/or software I would need to get.

Thanks a millions

 

[postwick]

If you can access the files from Windows systems, anything you do to copy the files should be sufficient. But that's where knowledge of the accounting software is important. The key is whether or not you're able to back up the files when NO software or person is accessing them, and if simply copying the files is suitable as a backup (based on the requirements of the accounting software).

 

[ducphong]

Yeah, the main thing is backing up the data as far as files no. I just need to make sure CAD files and reports are backed up.

So it would not be a horrible idea to use a networked windows station to do the back up.

 

[postwick]

No, it wouldn't be horrible. The main drawback is copying all that data over the network, but you could set it to run at night.

 

[ducphong]

Great, I think I will do that since data will be backed up at night, and its not a huge amount of data.

Thanks a million. I know I'm in the linux forum but, any recommendatins for a windows software to do backup? I have spent my time researching linux back ups, and not wondows, but its ok if no one replies, I'll do some searches on it.

Once again, thanks a million to all of you.

 

[Morsing]

Since you'll probably need to familiarise yourself with Linux why not install another Linux box, with a DAT tape drive, and put some real backup software like Archeia on it??

Archeia can also backup you Windows servers if you need it.

Cheers Henrik Morsing
Certified AIX 4.3 Systems Administration
& p690 Technical Support

 

[postwick]

I've been looking at using Amanda on Linux.

If you're going to back up your Linux files to a Windows system, you could just use the Windows Backup that comes with it. It doesn't sound like you have any real special requirements, so that would do the job.

I have a question...what are the most important things to backup on a Linux server? Just config files that have been modified? Then to restore you reinstall Linux and copy the config files back to it? Or can you back up enough of the OS to just to a "one touch restore"?

 

[clonny2]

There are several things you can do

1: Use a commercial backup package like Veritas Backup Exec, VEritas NetBackup, Legato Networker, CA ArcServe.

2: You can have a smb share that is copied using Windows backup.

3: You can attach a local tape device to a *nix computer and backup over nfs.

4: You attach a local tape device to the server and use tar.

 

[PcLinuxGuru]

If you need to backup the whole server you can type init 1 at the command line. Goto the your root directory (not root's home directory) and type tar -c backup.tar or something similar. That will archive your whole system to a file called backup.tar when that is done (might take awhile) you will want to compress it. Easiest way is to type gzip backup.tar and the file will be compressed.

If you only really need the info you can create a script like so:

tar cvzf foo.tgz <PATH OF FILES> like /etc

That will will archive and zip all files in the folder you specified. A good site that I use for reference on taring:

http://www.cs.duke.edu/~ola/courses/programming/tar.html