Topic: backup to desktop

[David Trask]

Can anyone from e-smith (mitel) explain if there is a limitation with regard to the backup to desktop function....are there file size limitations?  Does it make a difference what OS you're using?  If you use LINUX (ie: Redhat) will that eliminate the limitations?  What gives?  I've found that my backup to desktop file was no where to be found when it was a large file (it went through the motions but never materialized on my desktop...I'm assuming because it stopped), but when it was relatively small 455 mb  it was fine.  Any ideas?

I've noticed several posts trying to address this question...I'm stumped.

[Des Dougan]

From what I've read, all Windows clients have size limitations, with NTFS having the largest capacity (4 GB). You could back up to a Linux desktop, as you suggest or you could create a Samba share on your Windows PC and use flexbackup to create the backup. There is a message to me from Darrell May on Aug. 21 in the devinfo forum which covers this subject. I have since tried Darrell's suggestion, and it works a treat.


Des Dougan

[David Trask]

Ok,

I see and understand Darrell's script fort the most part.  My problem is how do I mount my Win98 machine that I want to backup to?  Let's say the name of that machine is "labmaster" how do I tell e-smith how to mount it?  Any help is greatly appreciated.  I do have a tape drive, but I want redundancy.  The tape drive on my NT 4 server bit the dust for now so I need to transfer all backup duties to my e-smith box by creating scripts to copy files to the e-smith box.

[Des Dougan]

David,

On your Windows box, create the directory you want to back-up to. Make it shared. On your e-smith server, create a mount point in the /mnt directory and then edit /etc/fstab (the file system table) and add an entry for the share you made. Mine is below (all on one line):

//p133/Backup           /mnt/backup             smbfs   username=name,password=password  0 0

//p133/Backup is the server/share in UNC format; /mnt/backup is the mount point; smbfs is the filesystem type (samba file system); the username/password combination is your Win98 system login. The last part relates to the filesystem type (I can't remember the details, but the man page will help you).

After you've done this, you need to set up the /sbin/e-smith/backup script per Darrell's suggestion, using the e-smith template system. If you want to adjust the scheduling of the backup (for example, I only want mine to run weekly, not daily), the appropriate cron entry can be found in /etc/cron.d

Good luck!

Des Dougan

[David Trask]

Thanks!  I'll give it a shot later this evening when all the staff and kids go home.

David

[Jeroen]

Would it also be possible to install a second hdd in the e-smith box and perform the backups to that hdd? If so, is there a howto?

thanks in advance,

Jeroen