[NCLUG] Backup idea

[Michael Milligan]

Assuming this is a file server you are talking about, you should use
AFS.  This is all built-in (snapshots) and can all be automated (i.e.,
this wheel has already been invented and perfected).  E.g., write
incremental backup snapshot to tape daily, full backup to tape weekly,
reclaim snapshot space after full weekly backup.  AFS keeps the snapshot
in a consistent state while the backup runs.  And the oldest backup is
automatically "deleted" if you rotate tapes.  (Doesn't have to be tape,
can be another array like you're doing.)

And AFS has this other cool feature of keeping automatic online backups
of a volume.  If you delete a file and need it back, you can go into the
backup volume (mounting it if needed) and retrieve it.  Same for a
previous version of a file, if you accidentally overwrite it, you can go
retrieve the old file.  This has saved my *ss on a couple of occasions.

Works For Me(tm).

Regards,
Mike

grant at amadensor.com wrote:
> I have been thinking about a new backup idea, but first, here is my 
> current setup:
> 
> I have a separate mirrored array for backups.   It uses a daily cp to 
> copy the files to a dated copy using hard links, then uses rsync to 
> overlay only the changes.   It also daily deletes the oldest backup.
> 
> This is good, except for one little thing, it is hard to manage when 
> the disk gets close to full.  Sometimes I need to manually delete the 
> oldest backup an extra time to leave enough slack for the next day's 
> rsync delta.
> 
> Here is my idea:
> Rebuild the backup partition using LVM.   Do a daily rsync to it, then 
> do a snapshot.
> 
> Will this succeed in removing the oldest one any time I run out of 
> space?   I know that it will invalidate the snapshot, but will it drop 
> it and free up the space?  What happens if that snapshot is mounted 
> when it gets full, does it get unmounted and removed, or does the  whole
> volume group go into a state of stuck?
> 
> I wish I had extra hardware to play with this on, but right now I 
> really don't, so I am hoping someone else has done this.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> NCLUG mailing list       NCLUG at nclug.org
> 
> To unsubscribe, subscribe, or modify your settings, go to:
> http://www.nclug.org/mailman/listinfo/nclu
> g

-- 
Michael Milligan                                   -> milli at acmeps.com
Acme Professional Services LLC                        970-581-9948