[Nottingham][Talk] *TODAY* 17/07/2007 1: Backups; 2: Microsoft! (Navigation Inn)

Martin martin at ml1.co.uk
Thu Jul 19 16:57:11 BST 2007


Folks,

A good meeting was had and with much discussion.

>>> Two topical mini-talks and discussion at the Navigation:
>>>
>>> 1: Simple and easy ways to back up your precious computer data,
>>> hopefully /before/ it is all lost in a flash!
> 
> See:
> 
> A simple Linux backup method
> http://www.desktoplinux.com/articles/AT2280165098.html
> 
> Linux Backups mini-FAQ
> http://kmself.home.netcom.com/Linux/FAQs/backups.html
> 
> (January 2006) Build a Home Terabyte Backup System Using Linux
> http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/8590
> 
> What do you do?

What people do was quite varied: from industrial daily backups and
versioning; to 'once in a while'; to those whom have no 'online life' as
such and rather than worry about backups would simply reinstall whatever
(newest) distro after whatever disaster.

The average seemed to be that home backups were done 'once in a while',
from every few days to once every few months.

Backup methods were straight-forward using 'drag-n-drop', "cp -r", "cp
-a", tar, rsync, or whatever direct copy onto an alternate media.

HDDs are cheap enough to use them for speed and convenience. Similarly
so for using "USB memory sticks". Finally, CD-R/RW and DVD+/-R was used
also.

Noone bothers with tapes or punched tape or punched cards any more!

And more surprisingly, noone verifies that their backups are good and
that they can be used for recovery!!


In extreme brief, my own preferred backup is to use rsync:

rsync -av --exclude '*/tmp/*' --exclude '*/.thumbnails/*' --exclude
'*/Cache/*' --exclude '*/Trash/*' --exclude '*/Trash.*' --exclude
'*/.Trash/*' --exclude '*/trash/*' -
-exclude '*/.trash.*' --exclude '*/Thumbs.db' --link-dest="${rlink}${p}"
"$d" "${rbudir}${p}"

Then, "tar -d" or "diff -qR" are used to verify everything byte-for-byte.

And all scripted to give a reliable one-command operation.

My preferred backup media is other HDDs in remote machines or external
HDDs. I consider CD/DVD to be far too unreliable.

And has anyone got good information about "gold" CD-R that (supposedly)
lasts a few hundred years?...(!)


For disaster security, make sure that you always have multiple copies in
multiple separate locations! But then, also consider the implications if
your hardware or data were to be stolen...


Aside: Raid got slammed for being ineffective and even dangerous for
giving a /false/ /sense/ of security...

Further comments welcomed!



>>> 2: Microsoft sells Linux! It does, really, and now... What does it mean
>>> and what next? To paraphrase some Marketing (c): What do you want to do
>>> with your Linux (tm) today...?
> 
> See:
> 
> Microsoft's Plan, So Far...
> http://news.com.com/5208-1012_3-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=28215&messageID=279363&start=-1
> 
> How could "Linux" be BANNED..?
> http://news.com.com/5208-1012_3-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=28215&messageID=278901&start=0
> 
> What do you think?

The backups talk and discussion completely wiped out any chance for
considering the latest Microsoft maneuverings. To be resurrected for
another time.


Also, the Tuesday meeting brought out some long not seen faces. Should
we try to include other days of the week rather than Wed and Thur?


Cheers All,
Martin


> There are two types of people: Those whom do backups; And those whom
> have never had a disk crash.



-- 
----------------
Martin Lomas
martin at ml1.co.uk
----------------



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