Unable to Backup /SYS folder

ksleslie · 01-23-2007, 03:11 AM

Hi, My name is Leslie, I have a problem backing up /sys directory. I'm running Linux Enterprise ES ver 4.0 .

I'm using Symantec Backup exec ver 10.d on Windows server 2003 to do the backup (The server is : HP Proliant DL380). I've also installed the Veritas Linux remote agent agent in this server. The backup device which is used is the HP Ultrium LTO2.

My Linux is residing on another HP Proliant DL380 server.

When I backup the Linux server the backup process suddenly terminates when it reaches about 63% complete. The error message is " The media operation was terminated by the user.

After testing several backup jobs I found out that if I skip the /SYS directory in Linux from the backup. The backup will go through without any problems.

I'm not sure if it is normal that the Linux /sys directory cannot be backed-up. Is there any work around to this so that I will be able to backup all the contents of my linux server?
Need your expert advice.

Thanks. Regards.

KS Leslie
ksleslie@ish.kpjhealth.com.my
+60165210125
Ipoh, Malaysia

acid_kewpie · 01-23-2007, 03:14 AM

/sys is not a real directory, it's an interface to memory spaces, devices etc. it can not, and should not be backed up.

trickykid · 01-23-2007, 03:51 PM

You should also eliminate /proc and several other filesystems that won't need or don't need to be backed up as well..

A typical backup that I usually do is /etc, /boot, /home, /var, /usr and any other partitions you have valuable data.

rootaccess · 03-15-2012, 04:16 PM

I know this post is old but a question for present and prospective viewers.
Trickykid mentioned not to backup folders such as sys, proc, tmp, etc.
He then mentioned a typical backup would only include the /etc, /boot, /home/, /var, and /usr.
However, shouldn't the /lib folder be backed up as well as the .* ?
When I run rsync, my syntax to copy all hidden files and folders starting from the root directory is as follows:
rsync -av .* /dir/to/backup --exclude=sys etc.

chrism01 · 03-19-2012, 08:55 PM

Read his (trickykid) 2nd sentence in carefully...

First, he said 'typical' ie not always.
2nd he said 'and any other partitions you have valuable data.'

There's no way to list all the dirs that should be backed up on every system; too many variations.
However, /proc, /sys are not real dirs (as above) so should be ignored.
I think he certainly implied ALL files in dirs to be backed up, inc hidden.

/tmp is optional; some places that are heavily audited want that backed up as well ...