Linux backups

[Dave Hull]

Quoting Frank Wiles <frank at wiles.org>:

>   Sure.  Where I work we have a server with a ton of disk space that we
>   use as a backup server.  We rsync all of our important data from each
>   server to that backup server, and occasionally make a tape backup of
>   the backup server.
>
>   Hopefully this is what you were after.

I've been thinking about using this approach too. How is the file system
structured on the "backup server"? Does it mirror the file structure on the
"clients"? I'm not too familiar with rsync so I don't know if that's required
or not.

I've got several servers that have a standard mount point where I install all
third party or custom software, let's call the mount point /services for the
sake of example. It's /services on all my servers.

Can I just create a directory structure on the "backup server" like
/backups/server_1/services, /backups/server_2/services, etc. and pull a full
copy of each servers' /services directory to the "backup server" and then
simply rsync daily from that point forward?

Are you using amanda or just something like cpio, tar? Do you have a database
that tells you what tape you need to restore file x to server y for date
mm/dd/yy?

Sorry for all the questions. I'm in dire need of a backup solution before
something goes horribly wrong. Where's some wood?

--
Dave Hull
http://insipid.com