Re: [BackupPC-users] Offsite copy

shorvath <backuppc-forum AT backupcentral DOT com> wrote on 06/26/2012 01:02:00 PM: > I wouldn't want to rsync /var/lib/backuppc as this is not in a > format that can be readily used. > What I'm after is a ready to use snapshot, As it looks on the > server I'm backing up or what it would look like if using the > archive host feature but just not in tar format.

While I'm at it, another point: you say that you want a snapshot. Great: I think you should have a snapshot, too.

Unfortunately, BackupPC does not provide snapshots. It provides files. Under most circumstances (and under Windows, under *all* circumstances), BackupPC is not going to allow you to do a bare-metal restore, and certainly not easily. Frankly, asking it to is a lot to ask. But it does a tremendous job of allowing you to back up huge collections of individual files, as well as keeping an entire history of those files, all in a space-optimized way.

There *are* tools that do a great job of snapshots, including bare-metal restore. However, they won't easily allow you to restore a single file, and won't allow you to keep multiple copies of your data efficiently. Clonezilla is a good one to look at. Using LVM snapshots is another. If you're using virtualized hosts, your virtualization engine should have snapshot capabilities already (and snapshots are one of the best reasons to be using virtualization in the first place).

File-level and snapshot backups are complementary. There is some overlap, but one does not cover everything that the other does. One is a hammer, one is a screwdriver. Use the right tool for the job.

Tim Massey


Out of the Box Solutions, Inc. Creative IT Solutions Made Simple! http://www.OutOfTheBoxSolutions.com tmassey AT obscorp DOT com		22108 Harper Ave. St. Clair Shores, MI 48080 Office: (800)750-4OBS (4627) Cell: (586)945-8796

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