Hi all

Without using tar, I would like to backup my files from my ubuntu server to another external device, so that the files can be accessed without difficulty by a user using their windows pc i.e. dont have to use a restore program or untar files etc...

I have done this using the copy command which is executed by a cron job.
However if I would like to only copy files that have changed since the last copy (like incremental backups) how can this be done?

Also, is there a way of excluding files to copy - although I want to back everything up, I dont want to back up the files on the external storage or /proc, /tmp etc....

Many thanks in advance

t.

Take a look at rsync and/or the graphical interface grsync
http://rsync.samba.org/
It should be in your repo's.

You can use rsync to do the copy. It will sync only changes on subsequent runs. And you can either explicitly include the dirs you want synced in a script or use the exclude [pattern] option.

There's loads of stuff on the 'net about backing up. A Google search will find plenty of information!

tar's a bit long in the tooth now and not best-of-breed except for simple requirements. I use dar which is Disk ARchiver as opposed to Tape ARchiver. Robust and powerful.

I don't know rsynch but understand it synchronises source and backup files -- which means a file deleted on the source system would also be deleted on the backup system. Fine until you find out a month later that it's been deleted and you want it back. Am I right rsync experts?

It will not delete on the receiver, files deleted on the sender, unless you explicitly tell it to. --delete-excluded

Thank you all for your helpful responses! I'm going to try writing a script which uses rsync. I was actually thinking of that, but just thought there may be a possibly easier way using the copy command, so I would only have to make minor ajustments to my existing script!

Off to the rsync homepage I go...

Only if you use the options "delete on destination"


EDIT oeps, already answered