Best System Backup Solution (FSARCHIVER)

[bester69]

There're many application for doing system backups, but perhaps too complicate to use or apply full restore/backup.

i want to be able to do a system backup while i keep working on my computer (hot backup), in such a way it will garantizze a success recover when its needed it. I also want to do the system backup to a single or parted file image with smaller size than the source drive, this means just backup files system compressed with checksum. As you can see tools drive clonning applications like Clonezilla wont make it.

So we have Mondo Rescue
http://www.mondorescue.org/
This application is Gold, i've been using it, and you can make hot backups, and restore with success--> I love Mondo Rescue, and think is the best proffesional and easy to use solution for system backups.
but sadly, thereis not yet working applicaction on debian 8, i think we'll have to wait for a while


Then we have Rsync--> It has the problem can't make me an image file on fling backup, so i cant store my system backup in a compressed file on the fly.
Then we have Tar command piping output with compression tool, (scripts)
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Sy ... nd-restore --> I find this kind of solution some difficul to apply and maybe some risk in them, in fact i tried this solution, and i wasnt able to restore the full system without problems, so i didn't convince me this way.

I finally found more Gold, its called FSARCHIVER, its just an easy and simple to use command that will do all. whitout escaring during restore process.:
http://www.fsarchiver.org/Main_Page

About FSArchiver
- FSArchiver is a system tool that allows you to save a file-system to a compressed archive file.
- The file-system can be restored on a partition which has a different size
.- Everything is checksummed
- If the archive is corrupt, you just loose the current file, not the whole archive.
- preserve all the standard file attributes (permissions, timestamps, symbolic-links, hard-links, extended-attributes, ...)
- FSArchiver is working at the file level. It can make an archive of filesystems (ext4, ext3, xfs, btrfs, reiserfs, ntfs, ...)
- Ability to restore an archive which is corrupt (it will just skip the current file)
- Multi-threaded lzo, gzip, bzip2, lzma/xz compression: if you have a dual-core / quad-core it will use all the power of your cpu
- Support for splitting large archives into several files with a fixed maximum size
- Encryption of the archive using a password.

Howto use it
http://www.fsarchiver.org/QuickStart

So easy to use
1- First thing i do is to stop mysql base data server , so i can do a hot backup, and be able to restore witout problems with the mysql server;
/etc/init.d/mysqld stop

2- Run comand backup (i exclude home folder, to get an image file backup smaller)
sudo fsarchiver savefs /media/sda2/mysystembackup.fsa /dev/sda1 --exclude=/home/myuserhome
--> You must understand that FSarchiver backup the file system linux, so when you restore your excluded folders will have gone, and you wil need to have a copy of them in other place, so you can restore them too.

3- You keep doing your thing as FSArchiver make your backup


Restoring process:
1- You boot with your debian Live CD
2- You mount source and destination
3- Run command to restore
sudo fsarchiver restfs /media/mysystembackup.fsa id=0,dest=/dev/sda1
4- Job done, boot and restore your folder excluded.


I used, it works, cool

[edbarx]

I didn't read your entire post, but regarding fsarchiver, I have been using it for several years now without regrets. Before, I used rsync and cp -a both of which work, but produce a complete file hierarchy.

[dasein]

i want to be able to do a system backup while i keep working on my computer (hot backup), in such a way it will garantizze a success...

You can't guarantee success whenever you try to backup a mounted filesystem. The fact that it worked this one time is great; but you absolutely cannot count on it.

You also cannot guarantee that you can successfully restore to a smaller volume. Again, it may happen, but you can't count on it.

[nixer]

And if you wish to use fsarchiver with a gui tool, this works just fine.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/qt4-fsarchiver/

[bester69]

i want to be able to do a system backup while i keep working on my computer (hot backup), in such a way it will garantizze a success...

You can't guarantee success whenever you try to backup a mounted filesystem. The fact that it worked this one time is great; but you absolutely cannot count on it.

ok, they say

Limitations
FSArchiver is safe when it makes backups of partitions which are not mounted or mounted read-only. There is an optiotmn to force the backup of a read-write mounted volume, but there may be problems with the files that changed during the backup.
-----

i mean hot backup excluding folder home:

For my ownw experience , its usually safe hot backups if you dont modify the system status by installing anything or changing system settings during backup process, i think if you just limi to work, you can make hot backup meanwhile. I just only see problems with active base datas, thats, why i say to put down mysql server before to proceed with fsarchiver.

You also cannot guarantee that you can successfully restore to a smaller volume. Again, it may happen, but you can't count on it.

I meaned you can backup compressed on fly so you can store your backup system in a smaller drive, I dont understand your point, they say you can restore to any size volume while data size fix. Can you explain that please?. If i excluded source folder, for sure i might restore to a smaller volume.

[dotlj]

I think the best system backup solution depends on the system. I'm still thinking about this.
For one system I use rsync from one disk to another disk - mostly /home with some files from /etc.
For other systems with only one internal disk, I use an external USB disk which is slower. I've heard that external eSATA runs as fast as internal SATA.
I'm mainly interested in my personal data as the OS (Debian Jessie) is freely available.

It is helpful to read about others experiences with various backup options. Many thanks.

[bester69]

I think the best system backup solution depends on the system. I'm still thinking about this.
For one system I use rsync from one disk to another disk - mostly /home with some files from /etc.
For other systems with only one internal disk, I use an external USB disk which is slower. I've heard that external eSATA runs as fast as internal SATA.
I'm mainly interested in my personal data as the OS (Debian Jessie) is freely available.

It is helpful to read about others experiences with various backup options. Many thanks.

Yeah, but see my point, most users eventually look for a system backp solution, and they find into Clonezilla, DD, or Rsync, any if them one requiere a destination with the same size of the subject volume source, which is ver annoying for evereryone. In my case if just need one full system backup, that i update one or two times a year. I dont have an extrernal disc, i just have my internal drive with their logical partitions, and in one data partition i store an backup image compressed of my SO.



Check some of the advantage and powerfull features from FSARCHIVER:
About FSArchiver
- FSArchiver is a system tool that allows you to save a file-system to a compressed archive file.
- The file-system can be restored on a partition which has a different size
.- Everything is checksummed
this featureed is very important when you make a backup, cos you garantizee every file is store propertly
- If the archive is corrupt, you just loose the current file, not the whole archive.
- preserve all the standard file attributes (permissions, timestamps, symbolic-links, hard-links, extended-attributes, ...)
I need this, cos i dont want problems with permissions when i restore my system backup, i.e. Tar backup failed with permissions
- Multi-threaded lzo, gzip, bzip2, lzma/xz compression: if you have a dual-core / quad-core it will use all the power of your cpu
OMG, this feature is gold, you can do a full compressed system backup in just a few minutes, others application can last even hours.
- Support for splitting large archives into several files with a fixed maximum size
you can store your full system backup in maybe just two DVD

with FSARCHIVER my fulls system backup just fix in a 6GB file size image--> Whick fix in 2 regular DVD's

[dilberts_left_nut]

i just have my internal drive with their logical partitions, and in one data partition i store an backup image compressed of my SO.

That is not a backup.

[bester69]

i just have my internal drive with their logical partitions, and in one data partition i store an backup image compressed of my SO.

That is not a backup.

i dont share your opinion, lol, Anyway i also store all my setiings system, install docs and some datas backup in the cloud, so if i lose my harddrive i'd be able to resintall everything from zero to the same state. As we all know synaptic allow us to export/import the all list of programs installed.

in the cloud i store settings files like:
fonts.conf, sudoers, sources.lst, Repo.keys, deb_Packages.list, fstab, compressed home folder backup, etc

[dasein]

i just have my internal drive with their logical partitions, and in one data partition i store an backup image compressed of my SO.

That is not a backup.

i dont share your opinion

Did you start this thread just to argue with whomever responds to you?? I'm starting to wonder if your are just trolling.

(BTW, d_l_n is quite correct (as he almost always is). what you have is a copy. A backup by definition implies the ability to survive destruction of the original medium. This isn't "opinion," it's what the frigging word means.)

[edbarx]

A backup by definition implies the ability to survive destruction of the original medium. This isn't "opinion," it's what the frigging word means.)

At first, I used to store my fsarchiver archives on the laptop's HD, but the thought of the HD failing, and the consequence of losing everything, pushed me to buy an external HD, which I place safely somewhere else.

As dasein claimed, a backup is intended to survive destruction of the original media. In your case, the backup is stored in the cloud.

[GarryRicketson]

Did you start this thread just to argue with whomever responds to you?? I'm starting to wonder if your are just trolling.

I don't see the OP s posts., I realized some time ago that is what he/she does, so I have it set to ignore.
But anyway, on the topic of "backups".

Post by edbarx : At first, I used to store my fsarchiver archives on the laptop's HD, but the thought of the HD failing, and the consequence of losing everything, pushed me to buy an external HD, which I place safely somewhere else.

As dasein claimed, a backup is intended to survive destruction of the original media. In your case, the backup is stored in the cloud.

I suppose what I do is not considered a "real" back up, but that is what I do with any data ,etc. that is important to me, I copy it to the "portable" external HD, in some cases I also make a ISO and burn it to a DVD, the thing of it is, I could make a back up of my HD now, but for one thing it has some bad sectors, the main point being ,when a back up is made, and then if the HD fails, the "back up" that was made would probabley have the same problems or defects that caused the HD to fail, so using it would be like installing the same defective HD over again,

In your case, the backup is stored in the cloud.

That is fine, if you have access to internet, personally I don't have confidence in anything online, "the cloud", etc. I know I can count on what I actually have saved on my portable HD or DVDs,.. This way, even if I don't have access to internet, I can still get my system running and do the things I like to do, I don't depend on "internet".
Basicly I don't even try to "back up" the entire system, just keep good copies of the important data, I have good installation disks, so I can re-install the OS if I need too, I also keep "tar balls" of my favorite programs, guess for now, that is about it

[edbarx]

All my installations of Debian/Devuan are on a single partition on a GPT formatted disk. For simple uni-partitional installations like mine, I found backing up the entire installation is simpler, and more often than not, faster.

[patrick013]

Well my 3 tops are:

syncbackup

fsarchiver (command line)

and lsyncd, if you want a Seagate Replica type of effect.

[Koniec12]

Have tu say that I never used it. I just downloaded and gonna give it a try.

[Head_on_a_Stick]

rsync FTW!
(sorry)

[bester69]

rsync FTW!
(sorry)

Rsync is great, indeed i use it like rysn -aAXv , but you read my post!!

By using rsync i dont know if you can do a hot backup, furthermore i think you must to exclude sys/dev/proc and others folders, i find it some diffitcult, so idont have enought trust to make a full/restore backup with rsync, i scare of losing some permission on the way. Furthermore you cant compress on the fly backup to an image file compressed, so your destination backup folder must be atlest the same size which is spare much size. As i told you i make a compresesd full backup of the system in just a file of 6GB, which fix in an apart volume partition in the same harddrive.

i can tell you Fsarchiver and MondoRescue are the very best,