Linux image / backup and restore

**autotuner** · 21-10-09, 03:54 PM

All,
I've got a gig for a while to clean up an IT setup for a small business.
Its a mixture of Windows, custom devices and Linux in various flavours.
Now Windows is no issue, and the custom devices are no issue, but the Linux servers are a worry because I am no Linux guru.

I'd like to image them all before I start working on them, then have an automated backup (no backups being done at the moment).
The Web contains 10 tons or Linux image and backup software, but what is good and easy?
Anyone with any suggestions?

Oh, and the boxes are a mix of RHEL, Fedora and Ubuntu.

**cwispy** · 21-10-09, 03:58 PM

Simplest way may be to ghost the hard disk entirely to another disk or use tools like DD to take an exact image. Most ghosting software out there will recognise linux file systems these days. Backups are a different story though.

**porkop** · 21-10-09, 08:32 PM

I am pretty sure nortons ghost will work on ext2 and ext3 file systems. you should be able to boot into nortons ghost (ie via hirens boot disk) and image the drives that way.

Never done it myself on a linux system but see no reaason why it wont work.

good luck

porkop

**Fernbay** · 21-10-09, 08:46 PM

Clonezilla

( For win systems too

)

**liquorstax** · 22-10-09, 05:40 AM

Norton Ghost will do it, get a copy of Hiren's BootCD 10.0 from the bay or somewhere then you will have all the tools you need!!!

**porkop** · 22-10-09, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by porkop

I am pretty sure nortons ghost will work on ext2 and ext3 file systems. you should be able to boot into nortons ghost (ie via hirens boot disk) and image the drives that way.

Never done it myself on a linux system but see no reaason why it wont work.

good luck

porkop

Originally Posted by liquorstax

Norton Ghost will do it, get a copy of Hiren's BootCD 10.0 from the bay or somewhere then you will have all the tools you need!!!

what I said

**autotuner** · 22-10-09, 07:45 AM

Ta, I've got Hirens, use it all the time but I didn't even think to try Ghost.
I did download Clonezilla last night, I'll have a squiz at that too.
I guess I'll just make a gold image, then schedule a daily SCP for the files that change.

The scary part will be to reboot a system that has not been offline for over a year....and its old.

**nic55** · 26-10-09, 08:33 PM

For your backups...
rsync from the linux servers to windows, then you can use ntbackup to copy it all to tape. If there are exchange, sql db's or anything besides plain old files to be backed up look in to backup exec.

As long as you shutdown correctly there shouldn't be any issues booting them back up, you can check through dmesg for any faults before rebooting if so desired.

**Fernbay** · 27-10-09, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by nic55

rsync from the linux servers to windows, then you can use ntbackup to copy it all to tape.

Tape?

Shirley, you can't be serious

**autotuner** · 27-10-09, 07:28 AM

Ta, I ended up using Arcronis to image the box, Ghost said it was going to take way too long for some reason.
I'll look at Rsync, there apparently is a backup supposed to be happening, but it hasn't for a long time for some reason...will investigate.

Fernbay, tapes are still used a lot in the Corporate world believe it or not, the last company I worked for spent a motza on 2 auto tape libraries for the core, and smaller ones for the branches.

In this instance though I will be using small NAS devices in onsite/offsite rotation.

**sracirsli** · 10-11-09, 12:02 PM

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