[opensuse] backup for home users (was: Re: Undelete)

G T Smith wrote:

Hi G T,



Absolutely.
Well, "data safety" setup is difficult for home use. However, as has
been pointed out before, usb-storage is cheap.

In comparison to what? In comparison to equivalent HD in a USB drive
caddy maybe. In comparison to 10/20Gb tape definitely. In comparison to
a DVD definitely not.

In comparison to anything that can be considered a backup media. DVDs
don't count for me. While they are larger than CDs, I cannot think of an
automated DVD changer, that could automatically do my backups for me.
And "automatical, no user intervention required" imho is, what
differentiates "sorry no backup, I forgot" from "There are so may
backups, which day of last week do I think, I will need to restore this
damned file?".

You can get the advantange of random RW which is damn difficult on most
media orientated DVD/CD devices and media. (DVD-RAM is possible if can
find the media and an appropriate device)

And pay the prize ;-), while still having just DVD capacity. I agree it
would be cheaper and transparent to the user.
Anyone know how do CD packetwriting in Linux?

[...rsnapshot does basically anything that you will ever need...]

This is a good serious professional tool, but unfortunately to get the
most out it you need to be a good serious professional.

ok. But there is good news, to- To get the least of it, i.e. do an
automated, regularly scheduled backup of one machine to an usb
connected harddrive, you need much less than an afternoon. Very cheap in
comparison to a loss of valuable data.

I admit that it took me MUCH longer to figure out how to include my
windows machines transparently into the rsnapshot backup that runs on my
Linux machine. But this only shows that there is nmuch more potential
in it, than most people can get from a paid solution. And seriously, a
non-professional tool will have a hard time to do professionl backups? I
do not think so. Remember: The User never ever needs to know that her
backup is running..... It simply works...
Moreover it is free as in beer and speech and it even saves
transparently all the valuable data from your windows colleages. What
more can you expect from a free solution?



Well, while this may be true, I would think that most home users will be
ok with an automated, regularly scheduled backup of different
hours/days,weeks/monthes/years... to external media.


Yep but with what?
rsnapshot, doing backups to usb-drive(s)? ;-)


I think Verity Stobs summarises the situation of machine deterioration
rather succinctly in the link below...

http://www.ddj.com/184405140

I am certain that someone can come up with equivalent metrics for linux:-)

Agreed! Nevertheless, I prefer to do what I can to save my data, just
now! And I probably will need to restore it or a portion before my
machine deteriorates.


In case that does not suffice, you might add a few more portable
usb-harddisks, that you store externally at a remote location away from
your computer.

As in many cases this would lead to a additional 40% -50% of home user
machine cost in backup storage so I doubt it is a goer. They spend the
same much in DVDs in the end but it not an up front financial jolt so
more likely to be born.

Agreed! But it usually gets much more "go" after a serious data
loss.;-))From my perspective, there is a harmless question: What
happens, if your harddisk dies now?

Nearly always this helps to easily calculate a fair prize for a backup
strategy. If not, well then let people do what they prefer to do.
They'll come back, sooner or later ;-))



If that does not do the trick, imho your needs are ripe for a
professional backup solution that needs a professional budget, accordingly.


The difficulty is many of the current home solutions are dire. GHOST has
degenerated from being something very useful to both windows and linux
users to being a temperamental monster. Most others solutions require
some understanding of backup cycles, and systems management.

Imho this depends. If you want to have a Ghost lookalike, you might use
partimage. For backup, I prefer solutions that work transparently, and
smartly, anytime, everytime.
If this requires understanding of backup cycles and systems management,
it might not be ideal for Joe Homeuser.

However, once again, he will listen carefully, when you talk to him
about the value of his digital photographs, his letters, his projects,
his MP3 digitized vinyl records and his Mails........


regards
Eberhard




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