[ale] Today's lesson: rdiff-backup restores

[DJ-Pfulio]

On 02/20/16 10:09, Solomon Peachy wrote:
> On Sat, Feb 20, 2016 at 08:40:16AM -0500, DJ-Pfulio wrote:
>> Backups include:
> 
> I figure I'd throw in my two cents.

Exactly.

> I've been using rdiff-backup for a long, long time, and I tend to err on 
> the side of excess.  While there is some variance between the systems, 
> there's some commonality.  These are always backed up in their entirety:
> 
>  * /etc
>  * /var   [not worth making this more granular IMO]
>  * /home  [if there are any non-root accounts]
> 
> Then, depending on the specific system, I may include a few extras:
> 
>  * Package list dumps  [ eg 'rpm -qa' ]
>  * Explicit database dumps [ eg 'pg_dumpall -c | pbzip2' ]
>  * etc etc
> 
> Although those are already technically covered by the backup of /var, 
> these are intended to allow for easier piecemeal restoration.

Seems smart to make life easy.

> 
> The net result of this is that with 45 day retention, my backups hover 
> at about 280GB for three systems.  I use an eSATA drive to hold this 
> stuff.

Mine is a USB3 2TB disk on a "backup server" - about 10 systems (4 real,
6 VMs) backup there.

> I also have bulk storage space used in a mostly write-once manner; I 
> back up the important stuff (ie whatever can't be replaced, such as my 
> photo archive) onto optical media.  That's running about 2 TB.

Large, static media files are handled separately via simple rsync.
This stuff is a few 2T and 4T external USB3 disks using simple
partitions (no LVM). I do use LVM on system disks.

> Now all of this is fine and good, until I consider that my backups are 
> stored in the same closet as my server.  As long as no physical disaster 
> occurs, that's peachy.
> 
> Then again.. one of the server's UPS batteries actually exploded about a 
> year ago. Had I not been home when it happened, it would have likely 
> started a fire, taking everything out at once.  Oh, and did I mention 
> that I have a substantial amount of ammunition stored in that same 
> closet?

Ouch.  Perhaps http://www.vaultprousa.com/custom-gun-safes.htm or
https://threeacres.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/yes-we-built-a-walk-in-gun-safe/
is needed? I'm a little worried about just using concrete blocks - steel
walls would seem safer, provided the safe isn't movable.

> 
> ...Maybe my backup strategy isn't so sound after all..
> 

Just rotate the eSATA and other disks off-site. Simple fix, but more
disks needed. ;(   I'm in the market for 2 more 4TB disks - need them to
drop below $140 again.