[Box Backup] Production use

[Eduardo Alvarenga]

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On Tue, 27 Jan 2004, Ben Summers wrote:

> >  Our system is snapshot-based, where every machine connects to the
> >  main backup repository at each time, syncing the files using=20
> >  incremental checks, checksums, preserving symlinks and permissions=20
> >  and backing up on a weeekly-directory basis (rsync's 'backup-dir'=20
> >  option) + regex exclusion of sockets and non-backupeable data.
> >
> >  Will boxbackup suit my needs? Any Pros or Cons?
>=20
> It will be a bit of a change in how your backups work. Instead of
> saying "take a snapshot now" the backup daemon uploads files as it
> notice changes, as long as those changes were made a configurable time
> ago. Future versions will allow a snapshot based approach in addition
> to this behaviour, but for now, you have to be aware that what you
> restore is not going to be what was on the disc at a particular moment
> in time (if you see what I mean). But you will have all your data
> backed up in a timely manner.

 Is there any workaround to make weekly-{directory,files} backup? I=20
 mean, a directory for each day-of-{week,month} where the files=20
 (encrypted or not) are stored?

 This is confortable (at least for me) to retrieve any file revision=20
 from the last week very easily.

> Regex exclusion isn't done yet, but is not a big job. If you wanted to=20
> use this seriously, then I'll put it in as a priority item.

 Yes, this is serious. Many large temporary files may not be backuped.=20
 So exclusions based on regex are very welcome. If you mind... please=20
 keed it priority #1.

> Hard links are not handled (multiple copies of the same data would be=20
> made). Symlinks and UNIX attributes are. Checksums are intrinsic to the=
=20
> system.

 I hardly use hard links, so it'll not be a problem for me at all.

> You get RAID on your backup server very cheaply and easily if you put=20
> in multiples of three discs.
>=20
> You probably need a less powerful machine to run the backup server.

 Well, the machine is a development one, running mysql, apache, php, cvs
 and another tools. Any statistics about CPU/Memory usage of boxbackup?

> >  For the community: What are your impressions about boxbackup? How
> >  stable is it until now?
> >
> I am taking the very conservative and cautious view that it is not=20
> ready for production machines, as it simply hasn't had enough testing.=20
> However, I would be very glad if people would test it, but I do not=20
> feel I can currently recommend using it as your only means of backup.
>=20
> However, I am working hard to get to a stage where I can recommend it's=
=20
> use. It would help me enormously if you would consider running it in=20
> parallel with your existing backup systems, and let me know how it=20
> works out.

 Our backup system as noticed in the last message is poor. The current=20
 backup machine is getting it's resources exausted and I'm going to=20
 exchange it by this new one (more disk, more speed, more reliable). So=20
 I'm looking for a better tool then ours. I'm seriously thinking about=20
 boxbackup, for real.

 All I need to make it blow here: Regex exclusion and {daily,weekly}=20
 based backup structure; as explained above.


 Best Regards,

 --=20
 Eduardo A. Alvarenga=20
 Analista de Suporte
 Centro Estrat=E9gico Integrado / SEGUP-PA
 (91) 259-0555 / 8116-0036

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