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<chapter id="Backup">
<chapterinfo>
&author.jht;
</chapterinfo>
<title>Backup Techniques</title>
<sect1>
<title>Features and Benefits</title>
<para>
The Samba project is over ten years old. During the early history
of Samba, UNIX administrators were its key implementors. UNIX administrators
will use UNIX system tools to backup UNIX system files. Over the past
four years, an increasing number of Microsoft network administrators have
taken an interest in Samba. This is reflected in the questions about backup
in general on the Samba mailing lists.
</para>
</sect1>
<sect1>
<title>Discussion of Backup Solutions</title>
<para>
During discussions at a Microsoft Windows training course, one of
the pro-UNIX delegates stunned the class when he pointed out that Windows
NT4 is so limiting compared with UNIX. He likened UNIX to a Meccano set
that has an unlimited number of tools that are simple, efficient,
and, in combination, capable of achieving any desired outcome.
</para>
<para>
One of the Windows networking advocates retorted that if she wanted a
Meccano set, she would buy one. She made it clear that a complex single
tool that does more than is needed but does it with a clear purpose and
intent is preferred by some like her.
</para>
<para>
Please note that all information here is provided as is and without recommendation
of fitness or suitability. The network administrator is strongly encouraged to
perform due-diligence research before implementing any backup solution, whether free
software or commercial.
</para>
<para>
A useful Web site I recently stumbled across that you might like to refer to
is located at <ulink noescape="1" url="http://www.allmerchants.com/Software/Backup_Software/">
www.allmerchants.com</ulink>.
</para>
<para>
The following three free software projects might also merit consideration.
</para>
<sect2>
<title>BackupPC</title>
<para>
<indexterm><primary>BackupPC</primary></indexterm>
BackupPC version 2.0.0 has been released on <ulink url="http://backuppc.sourceforge.net">SourceForge.</ulink>
New features include support for <command>rsync/rsyncd</command> and internationalization of the CGI interface
(including English, French, Spanish, and German).
</para>
<para>
BackupPC is a high-performance Perl-based package for backing up Linux,
UNIX or Windows PCs and laptops to a server's disk. BackupPC is highly
configurable and easy to install and maintain. SMB (via smbclient),
<command>tar</command> over <command>rsh/ssh</command> or <command>rsync/rsyncd</command>
are used to extract client data.
</para>
<para>
Given the ever decreasing cost of disks and raid systems, it is now
practical and cost effective to backup a large number of machines onto
a server's local disk or network storage. This is what BackupPC does.
</para>
<para>
Key features are pooling of identical files (big savings in server disk
space), compression, and a comprehensive CGI interface that allows users
to browse backups and restore files.
</para>
<para>
BackupPC is free software distributed under a GNU GPL license.
BackupPC runs on Linux/UNIX/freenix servers, and has been tested
on Linux, UNIX, Windows 9x/ME, Windows 98, Windows 200x, Windows XP, and Mac OSX clients.
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2>
<title>Rsync</title>
<para><command>rsync</command> is a flexible program for efficiently copying files or
directory trees.</para>
<para><command>rsync</command> has many options to select which files will be copied
and how they are to be transferred. It may be used as an
alternative to <command>ftp, http, scp</command>, or <command>rcp</command>.</para>
<para>The rsync remote-update protocol allows rsync to transfer just
the differences between two sets of files across the network link,
using an efficient checksum-search algorithm described in the
technical report that accompanies the rsync package.</para>
<para>Some of the additional features of rsync are:</para>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para>
Support for copying links, devices, owners, groups, and permissions.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
Exclude and exclude-from options are similar to GNU tar.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
A CVS exclude mode for ignoring the same files that CVS would ignore.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
Can use any transparent remote shell, including rsh or ssh.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
Does not require root privileges.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
Pipelining of file transfers to minimize latency costs.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
Support for anonymous or authenticated rsync servers (ideal for
mirroring).
</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</sect2>
<sect2>
<title>Amanda</title>
<para>
<indexterm><primary>Amanda</primary></indexterm>
Amanda, the Advanced Maryland Automatic Network Disk Archiver, is a backup system that
allows the administrator of a LAN to set up a single master backup server to back up
multiple hosts to a single large capacity tape drive. Amanda uses native dump and/or
GNU tar facilities and can back up a large number of workstations running multiple
versions of UNIX. Recent versions can also use Samba to back up Microsoft Windows hosts.
</para>
<para>
For more information regarding Amanda, please check the <ulink url="http://www.amanda.org/">
www.amanda.org/ site.</ulink>
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2>
<title>BOBS: Browseable Online Backup System</title>
<para>
<indexterm><primary>BOBS</primary></indexterm>
Browseable Online Backup System (BOBS) is a complete online backup system. Uses large
disks for storing backups and lets users browse the files using a Web browser. Handles
some special files like AppleDouble and icon files.
</para>
<para>
The home page for BOBS is located at <ulink url="http://bobs.sourceforge.net/">
bobs.sourceforge.net.</ulink>
</para>
</sect2>
</sect1>
</chapter>
|
