Hi there,

i am looking for a simple (well maybe a lil complex) backup solution for office users whether big or small.

i dont know if there are free open source apps out there that can have a kinda server/client technology with the following features

1. command line/utilities to setup the backup system

2. remote server administration tools or application

3. client backup/retrieval adminitration tool/interface from client to server

4. monitoring statistics


thanks

D.

RSYNC is the best for that.
It is very basic & simple to implement.
It is cutomisable to a pin point to fit your needs, It is the true power of CLI on linux.

Read it here --> http://amitsharma.linuxbloggers.com/how_to_rsync.htm
My own tutorial on RSYNC with easliy understandable approach & with simple & working examples.

For any queries regarding that, you can reply to me.

I agree RSYNC!

Last year, I searched a lot for a good backup system with a client/server base and I finally turned to rsync. If you already know Samba, you will find the server configuration really easy since it is based on the Samba conf file....

On the client side, use -avz options if you want to keep everything as is (date, time, permissions, etc.).

I recommend you this doc since it is very clear and easy to walk through: http://www.jdmz.net/ssh/index.html

Good luck!

But ZAK the link you have provided tells you how to set ssh public & private keys for RSYNC to work. It doesnt tell you how to set RSYNC server & its configuration & examples.

Thanks to everyone who replied this post, RSYNC is a very useful,compact and powerful tool. I respect that tool myself. I have used it specially incremental backups. It produces wonderful stress-loss for me.

But i feel its good for someone like me who is a versatile in linux but not too suitable as an implementation for office novice office people. I am ok setting up a backup server with CLI as long as i am going to be the one to use it and its a standalone system and it doesnt have any clients connecting to it. But i just want to implement a solution whereby i can configure it with CLI or /web interface/application or a combination of all and then leave the solution to the companies administrator (someone who is not well versed in linux) to manage and schedule backups or give policies to the various users of the backup system. Apart from this, the various users (workstation owners) can use a web interface/ or application or connect to the server application/web interface on the server to setup their backup schedules or retrieve their backed up files themselves as their access policies permit. of course the workstations mainly will running on MS W indows XP or similar and not likely linux. So there might be 2 ways of the users connecting to the server, either using the client app to connect and perform backup/retrieval/scheduling or they connect to the server thru their web interface or any network platform to perform their various tasks. I as the solution provider will just be responsible for maintaining the solution which will be invisible to their operations.

Any help.Pls post your reply

D.

amitsharma_26: I was giving this link as a solution for a server/client rsync solution. Not necessary a rsync tutorial.

debloxie: I think you will have to go to a commercial solution. Did you see this site: http://www.linux-backup.net/App/ ?

Regards

Hi Zak,

what do u think of backupPC solution. http://backuppc.sourceforge.net ?

Seems its a powerful network backup tool and it has a windows client.

D.

Hi Debloxie,

I never tried this backup solution, but it looks like a good one especially if you have Win box clients. However, you will need to install it on a Samba server (or at least you'll need a Samba network) since there is no real win client (win boxes connects via Samba network). You will also need an Apache server with CGI compiled which is sometimes a security issue on a file server to use the administrator web interface....

Cheers!

Well Zak,

i hav started getting the hang of it already and it looks promising. iwell from what i gathered, it feels that the server's samba client (smbclient) will just scan the network for shares that needs to be backed up. u dont need any install of a samba server. U just need the smbclient. Well the CGI shudnt pose crious problems although i am trying to make it work but eventually, it will work well in the hand. What do u feel?

D.

You're right, PCBackup uses smbclient to retrieve shared folders over the network. So you will have to set shares on client pc. You can also use rsync for windows via cygwin (http://sourceforge.net/projects/backuppc/). However, I invite you to read the Security FAQs at http://backuppc.sourceforge.net/faq/security.html to be informed of security risks. Overall, I think you may give it a try! I'm interested in your experience if you decide to try it.

Good luck!

Hi Zak,

i hav installed it and it looks good. i am just about testing the access control levels for each user and the administrator. And also the trying to setup some clients for a backup scenario. Well i dont know if its customizable coz its looks mundane.

WEll i ll give u a feedback when i have reall treid it out.

D

Thnx a lot Debloxie!

See ya!