btrfs filesystem backup to a backup server

bagpussnz · 06-09-2014, 04:31 AM

Hi,
Some of my developers are asking to use a btrfs filesystem on one of our servers.

I don't want to do this without being able to back it up to another machine. (that old fashioned stuff - disaster recovery, etc).

Can anyone suggest a solution? Haven't found anything yet.

Cheers,
Ian

syg00 · 06-09-2014, 06:19 AM

Define "backup". Data is just data - what do you use now ?
First port of call should (must) be the btrfs wiki. If you expect a lot of data under btrfs and/or want to explore some of it's features, maybe start by looking at Incremental_Backup.

You mentioned a "server" - for btrfs this will need to be kept (very) current on kernel and btrfs-progs.

bagpussnz · 06-09-2014, 04:42 PM

Thanks for the reply.

Currently our Linux/Unix servers are backed up (using rsync) to a bunch of backup servers (with separate sans and external media for offsite storage).

I've allocated 1TB for the btrfs filesystem but with reflinks and snapshots, an rsync backup would be a lot larger than 1TB.

I was after a backup solution that would allow me to efficiently backup the btrfs filesystem to a different machine.

syg00 · 06-09-2014, 06:59 PM

btrfs is COW - you wouldn't copy all the snaps, just the one you want. Used to be you had to use rsync, but that was a (long) while ago. Did you read the bit on incremental backup in the article I linked to ?. That's the preferred (quick) way to do it. No reason the destination can't be another machine.