[gentoo-user] {OT} High capacity backup plan needed

[gentoo-user] {OT} High capacity backup plan needed

[Grant]

I'm struggling to come up with a plan for making backups that is both
effective and economical.  I have 4 Gentoo systems:

1. strong local desktop
2. weak local desktop
3. laptop
4. hosted remote server

I'd like to backup the important system and data files from each of
these systems, plus my entire (growing) music collection which is
stored on system #1.  I'd like these backups to be safe in case of
fire, theft, hard drive crash, etc.  The system and data files are not
a problem to encrypt, archive, store, and rsync across systems #1 and
#4 because their size is relatively small.  However, my music
collection is big and growing and I'd like to have 1TB available for
it.  I'm not sure how to handle that.

I could add a 1TB hard drive to system #4 for $375, and I do have
plenty of monthly bandwidth there to spare so I won't be paying extra
for that.  That system is crucial for me though.  Could involving that
P4 1GB system in a daily rsync with system #1 requiring sometimes
multiple GBs of transferred data slow it down?  I would think the
limiting factor would be system #1's bandwidth on a Suddenlink cable
connection, so maybe that would keep things from getting bogged down
on system #4?

I looked into standalone backup solutions from my host and they have
hefty monthly charges.

I could set up NAS storage at a friend's place.  We both have
Suddenlink cable connections so the throughput should be alright.  I
don't like running a non-Gentoo system though, even if it is just NAS.
 Plus he uses a Netgear router which needs to be reset periodically.

In addition, I think I would periodically backup the encrypted system
and data files to DVD and store a copy in two locations.

Any thoughts?

- Grant

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} High capacity backup plan needed

[Florian Philipp]

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Grant schrieb:
> I'm struggling to come up with a plan for making backups that is both
> effective and economical.  I have 4 Gentoo systems:
> 
> 1. strong local desktop
> 2. weak local desktop
> 3. laptop
> 4. hosted remote server
> 
> I'd like to backup the important system and data files from each of
> these systems, plus my entire (growing) music collection which is
> stored on system #1.  I'd like these backups to be safe in case of
> fire, theft, hard drive crash, etc.  The system and data files are not
> a problem to encrypt, archive, store, and rsync across systems #1 and
> #4 because their size is relatively small.  However, my music
> collection is big and growing and I'd like to have 1TB available for
> it.  I'm not sure how to handle that.
[...]
> I could set up NAS storage at a friend's place.  We both have
> Suddenlink cable connections so the throughput should be alright.  I
> don't like running a non-Gentoo system though, even if it is just NAS.
>  Plus he uses a Netgear router which needs to be reset periodically.

The router is a problem, but one which can be solved by buying a 
replacement (which should be cheap compared with the costs for a NAS or 
a 1TB disk.

Concerning the NAS, why don't you build one yourself? It's no more than 
4 HDDs, a cheap system and an NFS- or Samba- and SSH-server, really.

> 
> In addition, I think I would periodically backup the encrypted system
> and data files to DVD and store a copy in two locations.
> 

1TB in 4.7GB-packets? I don't think this is feasible. At least I know 
that _I_ wouldn't do this more than a few times a year. A single HDD is 
a better solution, IMHO.

> Any thoughts?

Why not buying three external HDDs with eSATA or Firewire-connection? 
Keep one attached to system #1, one in your car and one at a different 
place you visit regularly and swap them once a week or so.



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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} High capacity backup plan needed

[Grant]

>> I'm struggling to come up with a plan for making backups that is both
>> effective and economical.  I have 4 Gentoo systems:
>>
>> 1. strong local desktop
>> 2. weak local desktop
>> 3. laptop
>> 4. hosted remote server
>>
>> I'd like to backup the important system and data files from each of
>> these systems, plus my entire (growing) music collection which is
>> stored on system #1.  I'd like these backups to be safe in case of
>> fire, theft, hard drive crash, etc.  The system and data files are not
>> a problem to encrypt, archive, store, and rsync across systems #1 and
>> #4 because their size is relatively small.  However, my music
>> collection is big and growing and I'd like to have 1TB available for
>> it.  I'm not sure how to handle that.
>
> [...]
>>
>> I could set up NAS storage at a friend's place.  We both have
>> Suddenlink cable connections so the throughput should be alright.  I
>> don't like running a non-Gentoo system though, even if it is just NAS.
>>  Plus he uses a Netgear router which needs to be reset periodically.
>
> The router is a problem, but one which can be solved by buying a replacement
> (which should be cheap compared with the costs for a NAS or a 1TB disk.
>
> Concerning the NAS, why don't you build one yourself? It's no more than 4
> HDDs, a cheap system and an NFS- or Samba- and SSH-server, really.

I think that's what I'll do.  Thanks a lot for your input.

- Grant

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} High capacity backup plan needed

[Dirk Heinrichs]

Am Samstag, 9. August 2008 17:41:39 schrieb Grant:

> >> I could set up NAS storage at a friend's place.  We both have
> >> Suddenlink cable connections so the throughput should be alright.  I
> >> don't like running a non-Gentoo system though, even if it is just NAS.
> >>  Plus he uses a Netgear router which needs to be reset periodically.
> >
> > The router is a problem, but one which can be solved by buying a
> > replacement (which should be cheap compared with the costs for a NAS or a
> > 1TB disk.
> >
> > Concerning the NAS, why don't you build one yourself? It's no more than 4
> > HDDs, a cheap system and an NFS- or Samba- and SSH-server, really.
>
> I think that's what I'll do.  Thanks a lot for your input.

And for the backup sw, I would use rsnapshot (rsync based) or something 
similar.

Bye...

	Dirk

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} High capacity backup plan needed

[Volker Armin Hemmann]

what about a nice little tapelib - used from ebay? DLT and LTO drivers are 
extremly robust. The tape cardridges can endure a lot of punishment and are 
made to lay around for years, waiting for the emergency. You even can write to 
it over a network/the internet (mbuffer+tar).

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} High capacity backup plan needed

[Matt Harrison]

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Volker Armin Hemmann wrote:
| what about a nice little tapelib - used from ebay? DLT and LTO drivers
are
| extremly robust. The tape cardridges can endure a lot of punishment
and are
| made to lay around for years, waiting for the emergency. You even can
write to
| it over a network/the internet (mbuffer+tar).

It would be perfect if the more high-end backup devices weren't so
pricey. My guess would that the tape size of a (cheap) DLT or LTO would
be so small that it would take days to backup with close to 1Tb.

avg size of a cheap DLT from ebay 20/40, so thats ~20Gb if you're
talking mp3s. 1024Gb / 20Gb = 52 tapes. I wouldn't spend 5 days changing
tapes only to start the backup again next week :D plus the price of even
those old tapes would be a worry at that number.

I know this wasn't my thread, but I'm always interested in backup
solutions that don't cost a packet, so I thought I'd chime in :)

Matt
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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} High capacity backup plan needed

[Volker Armin Hemmann]

On Samstag, 9. August 2008, Matt Harrison wrote:
> Volker Armin Hemmann wrote:
> | what about a nice little tapelib - used from ebay? DLT and LTO drivers
>
> are
>
> | extremly robust. The tape cardridges can endure a lot of punishment
>
> and are
>
> | made to lay around for years, waiting for the emergency. You even can
>
> write to
>
> | it over a network/the internet (mbuffer+tar).
>
> It would be perfect if the more high-end backup devices weren't so
> pricey. My guess would that the tape size of a (cheap) DLT or LTO would
> be so small that it would take days to backup with close to 1Tb.
>
> avg size of a cheap DLT from ebay 20/40, so thats ~20Gb if you're
> talking mp3s. 1024Gb / 20Gb = 52 tapes. I wouldn't spend 5 days changing
> tapes only to start the backup again next week :D plus the price of even
> those old tapes would be a worry at that number.
>
> I know this wasn't my thread, but I'm always interested in backup
> solutions that don't cost a packet, so I thought I'd chime in :)
>
> Matt

I have a tapelib with 8 slots - bought for 100€ - that is 280gb/560gb and no 
tape juggling needed. But even if you pay say 300€ for a nice LTO, after you 
have written a couple of tapes it is cheaper than harddisks - and faster.