Question about creating backups

[ladieu]

I already have backups of my linux servers using fsbackup utility, however I wanted to create some disk images of my servers on a new NAS device I just purchased.

 

I am wondering if there is any software similar to Acronis that runs in linux and will create disc images of linux systems that will allow for incremental backups and granular file recover as well as restore of image over the LAN.  Preferrably an open source solution...

 

http://www.acronis.com/backup-recovery/

 

I would just buy Acronis, however it only runs on windows and I don't want to deploy a windows server just to run this software.

 

-N

[trq]

You can simply make a disk image using the dd command, just be careful of the /proc file system on a running OS.

 

Google create disk image dd and I'm sure you'll find some tutorials on the subject, its pretty common practice.

[ladieu]

I know about DD, however with DD are you able to mount the disk image on a network share and retrieve one or 2 files off of it?  I'm interested in being able to do a granular restore if needed.

 

-N

[steviewdr]

Yes. You can easily mount a disk image created with dd.

 

The only issue, is the "incremental backups" you requested. This would be a little trickier for an entire disk image.

 

Have you heard of LVM? It allows you to take snapshots of a filesystem. This will allow for incremental backups and can easily be mounted. LVM snapshots are no good if the disk dies tho. But, if you have RAID 1, lvm snapshots are good. Of course you should still have an offsite backup, which I personally use duplicity.

 

 

-steve