Topic: backup to DVD / mondo / dar

[aussierob]

I have used mondo in the past - very good, as a single process creates a cd / dvd with everything on it (or whatever you restrict), and you can boot from the cd /dvd to restore: life could not be easier!
It seems good that DAR is in place, but
1. I cannot see / work-out how to have the result end up on dvd,
or should I add a cron task to put the resulting 'slices' onto a dvd .
(and if so any better idea than me using mkisofs/growisofs - which is all I know)
2. any outcome this way still means a new machine would have a base sme installed,
then have the dar-dvd(s) restored on to it. I guess that's ok (hardware changing all the time), but what should be restricted from the backup to not interfere with that base sme instal (or is this already accounted for in the go-into list)

Is this the best way for it to be?
SME is soooo good I am sure I must have missed something here, but backing it up to easily recover from a total failure has not seemed easy.
(I did love mondo)
Any opinion / guidance would be appreciated,
regards Robert
ps I hoped I have not asked something already in place! I have seached more than once and read documentation

[janet]

aussierob

AFAIK mondo was not developed further, so you need to create the similar procedure using the still available "software tools".

An alternative simple & quick way to retain a "bare metal" copy of the fully configured system (including contribs etc), is to have one drive of a RAID1 array mounted in a removable caddie, and swap that drive regularly.
The process requires the server to be shutdown for the time it takes to physically swap a drive (a few minutes), as the current kernels (in 7.x or 8.x) do not support hot swap (even if the caddies do).
Also the drive that is about to be inserted should have been "blanked" (ie partitions deleted), so you would really need another server setup to allow that to be done easily.
In practice you would need 3 drives to rotate, one in the server, one with the last good backup on it, and one that has been blanked (about to be inserted).
 

For standard backup & restore situations, there will be less work to rebuild a system if you install none or a minimum number of contribs, and install web apps & similar to ibays or to /opt (and add /opt to the backup), and use custom templates for specific app configuration. When restored these ibays or /opt (& therefore apps & templates & mysql dbs) will also be restored, so they do not need to be reinstalled and configured.

I'm sure someone else will jump in and say that Affa is very good, which it is, and does a nice job of unattended backups to remote & local servers or local USB. Contribs still need to be reinstalled though.

So as far "bare metal" backups are concerned the options are limited, there is also the dd command, which will copy every bit on the had disk to another mounted disk, but it is so slow and impractical on a regular daily backup basis.

[aussierob]

aussierob

AFAIK mondo was not developed further, so you need to create the similar procedure using the still available "software tools".///

I have often seen your name on information!
As always you bring the clarity to confusion:
may we all learn that it is not what we want, it is what easily is done.
I should know better - with your advice I do
Thanks to you Mary

[janet]

aussierob

Also see
http://wiki.contribs.org/Backup_server_config

[CharlieBrady]

I have used mondo in the past

Off-topic for this forum, which concerns only software included in the SME server CDROM.

[chris burnat]

Moving to Contribs section as requested.

[aussierob]

Moving to Contribs section as requested.

Maybe I expressed myself poorly: I was trying to figure out how to get a full backup onto DVD,
using the DAR Backup - included in SME, hence I posted to the Server section.
Your preference is not contested, I simply explain I attempted to place the post correctly.
regards