Gerhard Brauer wrote: > Hello! > > I would to setup a enviroment, where i need a outhouse backup. My idea > is, to use 2 USB-HD's in a daily change. > > Is it possible to put the (/var/lib)/backuppc directory completely on > each of the usb disk and use them in a daily change?
I have been doing this with swappable SATA drives. Other than being much slower, I can't imagine it being a problem with USB2. I have not encountered any problems with this as far as backup history is concerned. For time being, I am shutting down the server to swap out the drives. However, I believe udev offers the possibility to hot swap with automated scripts to start/stop services. I have not yet gotten around to researching and implementing this part of the solution. My only concern is when I have to replace one of the disks. I suppose I would end up using dd or a similar method to "seed the history" on the new disk. Before recent versions of BackupPC began storing the configuration files in /etc, I would use a symlink to the config files in /etc so they did not have to exist on each of the removable drives. I opted to keep the main logs on the removable drives (in __TopDir__) because it required no extra work and, as of yet, I have not had a need to have the main log files combined. > For example: Monday at 17:00 someone removes USB1 with USB2. USB2 ist > the base for Tuesday-Backup. Wednesday USB1 again goes in action. It's > clear, that from day to day a "double" effort for diff/full backup is > needed, but i think it must be possible: > > USB1: Mon->(Tue)->We->(Thu)->Fri > USB2: Tue->(We)->Thu->(Fri) I actually use a three-disk rotation, thus ensuring that the backup disks are never all in the same place at one time. > I could make a testing enviroment but perhaps some could clear me easier > if this is a practible solution. I only started this about 5 months ago and have not noticed any major issues. Here are a couple things I have noticed, which are more related to protocol rather than BackupPC itself. -I have one backup that finishes after BackupPC_nightly. I am assuming the pool is cleaned when the disk is back online three days later. I am working on adjusting the backup and BackupPC_nightly schedules accordingly. -The three disk rotation creates a gap in available backups on any given day because at least one disk is always off site. -I store the off site disks in my home. Since I already travel between there and work daily, no extra effort is required. Howerver, if I am out without advanced notice (ie. sick), we will miss one or more rotations of the disks. All in all, I seems to be working well for us so far. Mike ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take Surveys. Earn Cash. Influence the Future of IT Join SourceForge.net's Techsay panel and you'll get the chance to share your opinions on IT & business topics through brief surveys-and earn cash http://www.techsay.com/default.php?page=join.php&p=sourceforge&CID=DEVDEV _______________________________________________ BackupPC-users mailing list BackupPC-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users http://backuppc.sourceforge.net/
