Topic: Complete Backup

[AlexG]

Hi Forum

I am searching for a backup Software which is doing a complete automatic Backup of SME - including everything (Software, user data, etc.) on an USB Disk. Which backup do you recommend? (For the case of a system crash).

AlexG

[raem]

AlexG

The sme server backup/restore concept is to backup the data & configuration necessary to allow a server to be rebuilt by restoring the backup file to a fresh installation of the sme server OS.
This implies that contribs & add on rpms will need to be reinstalled after the Restore process is complete.

There is a built in backup to USB disk option available on the admin console menu.
Also there is the smeserver-dar2 contrib, or the e-smith-backup with dar currently in smtest repo, or the Affa backup contrib.

If you really do mean "everything", then you are referring to a "bare metal" backup, ie a disk clone.
The Linux dd command can do this although it will take a long time depending on your disk size.
Other disk clone software will also work, but make sure it supports Linux mirrored partitions.

You can also swap out one of the RAID1 drives and replace it with a blank drive.
The swapped out drive is a bootable backup (in single drive degraded mode) of the fully configured system including software etc. Note that the drive you swap in MUST be blank or you risk rebuilding the array to the wrong data set.

[EdelingF]

Ray,

Does this mean the built in backup to USB disk option available on the admin console menu will make a backup for restoring everything? Just by using the install CD and choosing the restore option?
I know with DAR2 you have to install all the previous installed contribs first.
Has someone perhaps found a way to make a cronjob in crontab to make daily overnight automatic backups with the built in backup to USB disk option available on the admin console menu?
Or should I use the updated e-smith-backup with DAR support instead?

[raem]

EdelingF

The console backup to USB disk option still requires you to install all the previous installed contribs.

Dar2 contrib supports automated backup to USB disk.

The updated e-smith-backup supports automated backup to USB also.

Only a tape backup or a bare metal/disk clone backup will backup everything (including system files and contribs) on the hard disk.
The tape backup will not restore everything though.