[Nelug] Backup over network. Which? What?

[Richard Patterson]

Peter Holmes wrote:
> Hi, you don't hear from me often but I watch with interest.
> Durham is a tad too far for me to get to meetings though one day ...
>
> Need some input here.  I have five PCs running both that-other-OS(?)
> and LINUX.
> Lately I have become concerned about data security.
> I have acquired a 2.4GHz Intel box with two 250GB HDDs and run it for
> a couple of months checking hardware is OK.  It is intended as the
> network backup machine.
>
> Which backup software do you recommend?  I did some digging and AMANDA
> seems to be about the best though do I want to spend a week setting it
> up?  I also have some minor concerns about AMANDA's long term
> free-as-in-beer situation ... note the number of ads seen around the
> net on 'about.com', etc.
> There's also AFBACKUP, BACULA and MONDO plus a few more but support
> appears thin.
I used to backup a few Windows servers using RSYNC, however this was
done from the Windows server itself, using the cygwin version of rsync.

If you were to go with the method Dougie uses, all data gets transferred
over the network regardless, so rsync isn't saving you much.

Are the machines all connected on a (fast) LAN, or are some over a slow
link?

It was a while since i set it up, and it was for a previous employer (i
don't think i took a copy with me)... I'll re-investigate for you, but
it might take me a while to get around to it (Unless you want to pay
me*  ;-)  )
>
> Also, what's the best flavour of LINUX to use?  A desktop bias isn't
> necessary since I can just about work my way around with the Command
> Line.  I use UBUNTU at present which is fine as a desktop machine but
> it tries too hard to be all-things-to-everybody and hog resources.
>
>
If all you will be using the it for is a backup server, then just use
Ubuntu, but install in SERVER mode... you get a bare bone system, which
you can install anything you want onto it...

Regards

Richard


* Reasonable rates, and i could sort something out in a couple of hours ;)

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Richard Patterson          HelpQuick Limited
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