[AccessD] Linux file server backup

Hi Gustav:

I am not sure of its raid capabilities (the basic Linux Kernel has a Raid
layer implemented in software) but the logical Volume Manager allows files
systems to span several disks which makes it appear that it is just on
drive. None of this is particularly unusual for Linux. Throw in the ReiserFS
and you have as stable of package that software can give you. See the
Wikipedia comments on the FS: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReiserFS.

You are correct saying it all hinges on the reliability of the controller.
The only controllers that have ever failed for me were raid controllers...
the most expensive ones, of course. One client had one crash on a big Dell
server and it cost more to replace than a new server.

I have never tried Rsync before. Tell me how the testing goes as I will be
very interested. (I know a fellow who is running a business doing over-night
backups for clients using the product but he was shy about giving any of the
details.)

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Gustav Brock
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 12:38 AM
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Linux file server backup

Hi Jim

Are you talking about a Linux file server with "built-in" backup service or
is this a separate box you set up for backing up an existing file server?
Does Ubuntu have some special tools for easy setup of RAID arrays that other
distributions miss? 

It sounds like the first, but then you only have a backup of the disks -
leaving a critical single point of failure: the controller.
While some say "controllers don't fail", they do, though rarely. We have
seen two.

We are currently testing a setup where we use Rsync for backup. It's very
basic but it allows backup to remote servers. Probably not a solution for
TB-sized backup but most clients are well below this.

/gustav

>>> accessd at shaw.ca 17-01-2007 23:24 >>>
Well John; 

The RAID drives are mostly duplication... just add a couple or 320GB, single
partition drives ($200.00) and you could have a mirrored backup. Fast,
reliable and (in context) cheap... who says you can't have it all

I have done this using an Ubuntu Linux. It uses a real old box (1.5 years
old with four older small 100GB drives), the install was easier than
Windows, (and when I say it is easy it really is. The only prompts that
require entry are how much space to allocate for the partition(s) and an
admin password.), it took only 15 minutes to connect to the network (which
has always been the biggest pain when managing mix systems). The resultant
partition created was across the all the drives making 400GBs of space. It
is real cheap and fast. 

I have been selling this backup concept to clients who want a reliable cheap
backup and have made a few sales. Even one government office is seriously
planning on contracting my services.

Jim


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