Re-Image Server, Backups, etc at host like 1&1
I've a Ubuntu dedicated server at 1&1. I'm new to Linux. I do read a lot of HowTo, and sometime when something is not going properly, i read forums and people get these kind of answers: "Did you backuped your data? There's no uninstall procedure for this software. You will have to Re-Image and start from scratch"...
I would like to know if it's possible to do an image of the server while it's running, on a 2nd partition, so if anything goes seriously bad, i can reload that image and be up & running in a couple of minutes? (Keep in mind that i also don't have any access localy to 1&1 datacenter)
One thing i don't understand also about "Re-Image" is, what do they actually re-image? The whole disk? Or just the OS partition?
thanks for your help
I would like to know if it's possible to do an image of the server while it's running, on a 2nd partition, so if anything goes seriously bad, i can reload that image and be up & running in a couple of minutes? (Keep in mind that i also don't have any access localy to 1&1 datacenter)
One thing i don't understand also about "Re-Image" is, what do they actually re-image? The whole disk? Or just the OS partition?
thanks for your help
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@rindi: the usage of a VM is probably easier. But it require more ressources, and i've also no clue how to setup the server so it forward every request made to the host to the guest OS.
@Tobias: rsync is probably the easiest way. I'm going to give it a try in a virtual machine on Ubuntu localy. It seems to keep permissions, ownership, etc, so it should be ok.
@xerox: CloneZilla doesn't work if i don't have a physical access to the server
@sandeep: well, Fog seems to use PEX, and that's not something i'm used too at all. I would be tempted to say that it require a 2nd server on the same LAN or something like that... which is not actually possible for the moment. Plus i'm 100% command line at the moment, and Fog seems to be a GUI based app.
@Tobias: rsync is probably the easiest way. I'm going to give it a try in a virtual machine on Ubuntu localy. It seems to keep permissions, ownership, etc, so it should be ok.
@xerox: CloneZilla doesn't work if i don't have a physical access to the server
@sandeep: well, Fog seems to use PEX, and that's not something i'm used too at all. I would be tempted to say that it require a 2nd server on the same LAN or something like that... which is not actually possible for the moment. Plus i'm 100% command line at the moment, and Fog seems to be a GUI based app.
A VM does use more resources, but I think today's hardware can normally easily cope with most needs, and the type 1 hypervisors I mentioned are really good.
Although rSync is good for backing up, it isn't an image backup that it does. It's more a file based backup that only backs up the delta's of files after the first backup.
Although rSync is good for backing up, it isn't an image backup that it does. It's more a file based backup that only backs up the delta's of files after the first backup.
@rindi: Do you think that it would work if i do this?
If something goes wrong, i re-image from 1&1 control panel, then install packages i've installed, then bring back the backup made with rsync, then reboot. Would it be enough?
Probably not as efficient as your method with VM's, but since i've no clue how i need to setup the server to make my VM become visible from outside, it would be easier for me.
Does KVM require the GUI?
Do i have to order a 2nd Fixed IP from 1and1 and assign it to the Guest OS to make it visible from outside?
Backup /etc, /home, /var, /root, /srv with rsync
Keep a list of packages i've installed
If something goes wrong, i re-image from 1&1 control panel, then install packages i've installed, then bring back the backup made with rsync, then reboot. Would it be enough?
Probably not as efficient as your method with VM's, but since i've no clue how i need to setup the server to make my VM become visible from outside, it would be easier for me.
Does KVM require the GUI?
Do i have to order a 2nd Fixed IP from 1and1 and assign it to the Guest OS to make it visible from outside?
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I need to be carefull, and see what every apps is doing, where it's store it's config, it's data, etc... so thanks for your help
TY/SA