Linux backup tool?
 

I've been trying to find a suitable linux backup program. I found many of them ... yes, I know bacula, SimpleBackup, SBACKUP, etc...

They all use compression methods to store my data ... and I don't want it...

I just wanted a program that copied the files I have changed on my computer's disk to an external disk...

For example: At the end of my work day, I would run a software or a script that copied all the files I have CHANGED to the external hard disk ... the ones that I didn't change, the script wouldn't do anything.

It would also copy new files I created, deleted the ones I deleted on my computer, etc...

But with no compression method! Just put the files there...

What would you suggest me?

rsync can do exactly that
it's probably already installed

What you want could easily done by rsync - it's precisely made for the purpose you want.

The developers' site has all the documentation you'll need.

You may also want to have a look at unison.

Both tools can easily be added to cron jobs or used in scripts.

Just for the record, compression is typically an option. You can turn it off.

On the other hand, they still don't do what you want. I mean, you're going to set up an SQL database to run with Bacula just so you can copy your files to an external drive? I don't think so. Backup programs designed to be scalable to a large network end up with way too much overhead when all you are doing is copying your personal files from a single machine.

rsync is probably an ideal tool for what you want to do.

If you can define exactly what you want (you say changed files, do you want to include config files or just explicit user data? do you mean file in tmp and in the spooler, or just within /home) I'd write a simple bash script that just copied files. I'm sure that rsync and unison are capable of doing what you want, but with an exact definition it shouldn't be that hard to script.

(Actually, another question is what you want to do with 'old' backed up files - is this disk supposed just to be a snapshot of the recently changed files or are you intending it to change incrementally to be a total, 1 day old, backup?)

BTW, I'm not sure what you have against compression. I'd be 100% with you if you had objected to uncommon compression formats, but I can't see a problem with compression - say gzip or something - per se.

I'd like to recommend rsnapshot. It's highly configurable and I believe that it doesn't use compression by default.


sleepy

thanks! I'm going to explore your answers... Everyone talked about rsync, so I think I'll try it ...

Oh, by the way

@ salasi:

I just wanted explicit user data

"Actually, another question is what you want to do with 'old' backed up files - is this disk supposed just to be a snapshot of the recently changed files or are you intending it to change incrementally to be a total, 1 day old, backup?"

--> What I mean with 'old' backed up files are files that haven't been changed and were already there from the previous backup ... so if they were not changed by me, they don't need to be replaced...

About the compression: I'm not supposed to compress it. I have 2 reasons:

a) I will use my external disk to sync my Windows PC at work with the files I've been working on at home... but because that PC is in the work place with network protections, I can't access it via internet. I will just sync both Linux (at home) and Windows (at work) PC's to have exactly the same files... by making incremental copies.

b) I have a big external hard disk, hence I don't have space problems at all :P

Once again, thanks for your suggestions;
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