backups
 

I'm new to Linux but have an extensive history in AIX. AIX allows you to create mksys (bootable) and tar backups. As well as purchasing software such as Sysback and Tivoli for backups. Is there any backup routine such as mksysb written into Red Hat Linux Enterprise? I see that there is a tar command and I assume that can be used to write files out to a tape drive.

Thanks for any information you can pass along to me!

Shelby

Welcome to the wonderful world of Linux. As for playing around with backups in redhat, I would recommend looking into Amanda.

http://www.amanda.org/

Also, if you want to do a little more digging on the subject, you might want to take a look at "UNIX Backup and Recovery" by W. Curtis Preston . It has some good information that is valid on perfrming backups (and restorations) on Linux systems as well.

Enjoy.

Thank you very much for the help! I have been enjoying Linux so far :)

Amanda has the advantage that Red Hat include packages for it. Bacula is also getting some attention:

www.bacula.org

The one gotcha with RHEL is if you use extended attributes or ACLs. Standard tar doesn't retain the metadata, so Red Hat ship 'star' for backing up systems using ACLs.