TLDR; = what can I safely exclude from a bacula backup of a Linux server and 
still be able to fully recover (bare metal) from a disaster?

Details:
I am looking for a best practice here, and I am working from two sources:

1. 
http://www.bacula.org/5.0.x-manuals/en/main/main/Disaster_Recovery_Using_Bac.html#SECTION003960000000000000000
2. https://wiki.debian.org/FilesystemHierarchyStandard

In order to recover a client machine that is a linux server (not the bacula-dir 
or bacula-sd) in accordance with Bacula docs, I have setup the FileSet for such 
a server as noted below. 

FileSet {
        Name = "Example Linux Server"
        Include {
                Options {
                signature = SHA1
                compression = GZIP
                }

                File = /
        }

        Exclude {
                /opt/bacula/working
                /tmp
                /proc
                /sys
                /.journal
                /.fsck
                /media
        }
}

My reasons for excluding these are as follows:

/opt/bacula/working 
        Not needed - just pid files and temp stuff.
/tmp
        no point in backing up temp files
/proc
        can't backup processes
/sys
        This is the filesystem point for exporting kernel objects. Kernel does 
this on the fly. No point in backing it up.

.journal
        not needed. journal log file.

.fsck
        not needed. fsck log file

/media
        no reason to backup external devices (unless you have a reason, which I 
don't.)


It should be noted, that I am using ClientRunBeforeJob to dump MySQL databases 
to /var/local/mysqlbackups, so I have indepdenent copies of them there, but 
since I am NOT excluding /var/lib/mysql, the raw databases should also be 
recoverable from bare metal.

Does anyone have a different (better) best practice?

Michael Munger, dCAP, MCPS, MCNPS, MBSS
High Powered Help, Inc.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft Certified Small Business Specialist
Digium Certified Asterisk Professional
michael AT highpoweredhelp DOT com



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