Want recommendation for Linux server disk-to-disk backup solutions (both bare-metal and data-only)
I have the hardware ready, but I need the software. I have read the other questions here on EE and I have researched through Google, but I would like to get other opinions. I think I will need two programs: for bare-metal recovery and for data-only.
I have one machine to make the Backup Server. It is older and slow but has new, big HDDs.
I have three (maybe will become four) servers to backup. The IT staff is just me, and we cannot hire contractors, so I want a dependable solution that won't demand a lot of time to restore a server.
I am using a home-made rsync solution that my predecessor put in place, but it cannot be used for bare-metal recovery, and I have to manually prune the current backup server when it becomes full.
I will be backing up the data nightly to the backup server, which will be housed in another building on campus. Also, I will be archiving database dumps to removable HDDs and storing them in the safe. The legistics of the operation are sound and in place, but I cannot decide on hardware.
I know that rsnapshot would give me a no-prune rsync solution. I know that many recommend Amanda and Bacula. I have read that Acronis does images and even DVDs to backup the server, but I don't know if Acronis works on RAID machines. I have heard of Mondo as well.
Advice and recommendations, please.
I have one machine to make the Backup Server. It is older and slow but has new, big HDDs.
I have three (maybe will become four) servers to backup. The IT staff is just me, and we cannot hire contractors, so I want a dependable solution that won't demand a lot of time to restore a server.
I am using a home-made rsync solution that my predecessor put in place, but it cannot be used for bare-metal recovery, and I have to manually prune the current backup server when it becomes full.
I will be backing up the data nightly to the backup server, which will be housed in another building on campus. Also, I will be archiving database dumps to removable HDDs and storing them in the safe. The legistics of the operation are sound and in place, but I cannot decide on hardware.
I know that rsnapshot would give me a no-prune rsync solution. I know that many recommend Amanda and Bacula. I have read that Acronis does images and even DVDs to backup the server, but I don't know if Acronis works on RAID machines. I have heard of Mondo as well.
Advice and recommendations, please.
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You may have to do some testing.
Most will allow a Full 30 day Eval, so you can check
http://www.clonezilla.org/ is free and has a server based component to backup and restore over a network.
I hope this helps !
Most will allow a Full 30 day Eval, so you can check
http://www.clonezilla.org/ is free and has a server based component to backup and restore over a network.
I hope this helps !
ASKER
Thank you for the time and advice.
ASKER
I will take this in steps, then.
I will first set up the backup server with Rsnapshot (an rsync solution) so that I can migrate the other servers and continue data backups. Rsync solutions enable you to give users a read-only samba mount where they can find their yesterday-files themselves instead of asking you to go to the backup server to restore files they unwittingly erased.
As for bare-metal, I posted to the Rsnapshot mailing list to ask what they were doing for bare-metal backups, and one user wrote that s/he simply backs up the entire server. When it is time to restore, s/he says "Just boot to a LiveCD, set up disks and network, and copy over the files."
I will try this out, but I will also try out Clonezilla after all the servers are migrated.
I am still waiting to hear from Acronis as a possible next-budget item.
Thank you again.
I will first set up the backup server with Rsnapshot (an rsync solution) so that I can migrate the other servers and continue data backups. Rsync solutions enable you to give users a read-only samba mount where they can find their yesterday-files themselves instead of asking you to go to the backup server to restore files they unwittingly erased.
As for bare-metal, I posted to the Rsnapshot mailing list to ask what they were doing for bare-metal backups, and one user wrote that s/he simply backs up the entire server. When it is time to restore, s/he says "Just boot to a LiveCD, set up disks and network, and copy over the files."
I will try this out, but I will also try out Clonezilla after all the servers are migrated.
I am still waiting to hear from Acronis as a possible next-budget item.
Thank you again.
ASKER
Also, an external USB drive will be used to archive only the database server's data.
I will look into the links provided, but it is often unclear whether or not the disk imaging programs offered can handle RAID configurations. I looked at Acronis' site and chatted with a sales person, but she (judging gender from the name) could not answer my question about RAID and restoring disk-to-disk over the network. She basically told me that it is 699 USD per license and that the software runs on the server being backed up, which means I would need one license per server. I asked to be contacted by someone more knowledgeable.