Re: Backup Techniques onto DVD+-RW

["L. V. Lammert" <lvl_(_at_)_omnitec_(_dot_)_net>]

At 01:18 PM 12/23/2005 -0700, Whyzzi wrote:
> Interesting idea, and have to admit I didn't think of it. There is a
> second HD ide hard drive slaved in the mail server, as well. I could
> use the likes of DD or dump/restore onto the second drive (slave).
> Last time I did that (dump/restore), I screwed up though, which is why
> a second backup method is preferable. I was playing CCD with the likes
> of that, for the separate /home partition. But for some reason it
> didn't quite feel right (likely a setup problem), so I scratched the
> CCD idea.

The biggest advantage of rsync is that you are only backing up changed 
files; sort of like the old 'incremantal'.

The biggest disadvantage is that you're maintaining a single remote copy; 
if you wish more than one historical version you must manage separately.

> As for the cost of DVD+/-RW media, you'd be surprised at you can find.
> We bought Verbatim DVD-RW media @ 1.49$ Canadian each. I had also
> found a 5pack of some unknown brand (not R-DATA) being dumped at our
> local Staples for under $9cdn which I purchased for home use.

Well, . . that's still expensive compared to free. Backup servers are not 
mission critical, so just about any old h/w is sufficient (assuming big 
enough disk). You can also locate them at a remote site (we offer off-site 
backup to our clients at a nominal charge).

If you like, you can daisy-chain machines - h/w is commodity now, we almost 
always have capable machines cycling through the shop as 'upgrade leftovers'.

> I've got a squid-cache proxy server local to that subnet running
> OpenBSD as well, and it has plenty of HD space left on the 80gig
> Seagate SATA.

Good candidate! If you have sufficient disk space, just create one or more 
directories with images. For example, five (or seven) directories would 
allow an entire week of archives.

        Happy Holidays!

        Lee