Hi all, My only encounter with tape-backup was with Windows 2000. With it, when we backup things using windows' backup tool, it will create a 'catalog', then the catalog contains all the backup operations we do based on date. So, with this we can "append" many backups into one tape. Next time we want to restore a backup, we can choose what date available in that particular tape.
I have zero experience with tape on Linux. I've been googling around and it seems that the backup operation is very different.
For example: - The tape is 400GB (LTO-3) - The data is only 10GB
Some of the articles I read imply that 1 tape contains 1 backup-file only. CMIIW. This is certainly not very efficient. The commands used are: mt, either tar, cpio.
My question is: 1. How do I use that one tape of 400GB to store 39 archives of backup into it in Linux? 2. Is tape backup seen by Linux just like any other filesystem? Can we mount it and 'ls -l' it? 3. When to rewind, forward, why? 4. Wel will only backup data/files (not the entire filesystem), is it enough to use the software provided by the tape vendor, or do I need another software? Or just the mt command will do it?
Any URL, scripts, insight are very welcome. Thank you very much.
Fajar Priyanto wrote:
Hi all, My only encounter with tape-backup was with Windows 2000. With it, when we backup things using windows' backup tool, it will create a 'catalog', then the catalog contains all the backup operations we do based on date. So, with this we can "append" many backups into one tape. Next time we want to restore a backup, we can choose what date available in that particular tape.
I have zero experience with tape on Linux. I've been googling around and it seems that the backup operation is very different.
For example:
- The tape is 400GB (LTO-3)
- The data is only 10GB
Some of the articles I read imply that 1 tape contains 1 backup-file only. CMIIW. This is certainly not very efficient. The commands used are: mt, either tar, cpio. ...
I recommend buying some commercial tape backup software.. freeware for tape is woefully poor.
common packages include...
Legato (from EMC) Symantec Backup Exec and its big brother NetBackup Tivoli StorageManager (from IBM) HP DataProtector Express (hoary, but quite robust and cheaper than the above)
and there's a bunch of smaller players, like NovaStor, Yosemite, etc
the big ugly with all of these is the tape formats and catalogs are generally NOT interchangable.
btw, I would think twice about keeping 40 daily backups on the same tape, thats a lot of eggs in one basket. LTO /is/ quite reliable, but still...
On Thursday 15 May 2008 07:34, John R Pierce wrote:
I recommend buying some commercial tape backup software.. freeware for tape is woefully poor.
Not so. Take a look at Amanda. Runs under linux, can handle backup for whole network (multiple domains, too, I think) and is utterly reliable. It can backup to disk, tape or whatever.
Anne
On Thursday May 15 2008, Anne Wilson wrote:
On Thursday 15 May 2008 07:34, John R Pierce wrote:
I recommend buying some commercial tape backup software.. freeware for tape is woefully poor.
Not so. Take a look at Amanda. Runs under linux, can handle backup for whole network (multiple domains, too, I think) and is utterly reliable. It can backup to disk, tape or whatever.
Anne _______________________________________________ CentOS mailing list CentOS@centos.org http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
I second the AMANDA recommendation if you are on a budget
I found Amanda rather complex for what we wanted to do (simple backup of a single server to a single tape drive).
We eventually decided on BRU (www.tolisgroup.com). It's not free, but the simple 'workstation' version isn't very expensive. Their support staff are really helpful as well. Free download for trial if you wish.
Kevin Thorpe wrote:
I found Amanda rather complex for what we wanted to do (simple backup of a single server to a single tape drive).
We eventually decided on BRU (www.tolisgroup.com). It's not free, but the simple 'workstation' version isn't very expensive. Their support staff are really helpful as well. Free download for trial if you wish.
Another commercial package which I've been *very* happy with is Arkeia. Not too costly (I'm on a legacy version, 5.3 - the Network Backup (ANB)) and I've been extremely happy. In fact, it was put to a real world test recently when one of my servers died hard....and it passed with flying colors. Easy setup (rpm) and fast reindex and restores got up and running quickly.
Just my .02. YMMV, -Ray
At my site we use LoneTar from Cactus International http://www.cactus.com/. It is commercial and does offer a trial to try it first also.
_____
From: centos-bounces@centos.org [mailto:centos-bounces@centos.org] On Behalf Of Kevin Thorpe Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2008 5:49 AM To: CentOS mailing list Subject: Re: [CentOS] Tape operation
I found Amanda rather complex for what we wanted to do (simple backup of a single server to a single tape drive).
We eventually decided on BRU (www.tolisgroup.com). It's not free, but the simple 'workstation' version isn't very expensive. Their support staff are really helpful as well. Free download for trial if you wish.
On Thu, May 15, 2008 at 10:45 AM, Anne Wilson cannewilson@googlemail.com wrote:
Not so. Take a look at Amanda. Runs under linux, can handle backup for whole network (multiple domains, too, I think) and is utterly reliable. It can backup to disk, tape or whatever.
I third the Amanda vote. But also Arkeia is pretty good too. Amanda isn't that difficult to get one's head around, and Arkeia (at least when I last used it several years ago) was pretty much all point-and-click.
Regards,
Martyn
Martyn Drake wrote: <snip>
Arkeia (at least when I last used it several years ago) was pretty much all point-and-click.
Regards,
Martyn
And therein lies one of the downfalls of Arkeia. Its ease of use requires X. I don't generally enable X on servers, but as this particular network is entirely off-internet, there was no compelling reason to go CLI only.
-Ray
-----Original Message----- From: centos-bounces@centos.org [mailto:centos-bounces@centos.org] On Behalf Of John R Pierce Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 11:34 PM To: CentOS mailing list Subject: Re: [CentOS] Tape operation
Fajar Priyanto wrote:
Hi all, My only encounter with tape-backup was with Windows 2000. With it, when we backup things using windows' backup tool, it will create a 'catalog', then the catalog contains all the backup
operations we do
based on date. So, with this we can "append" many backups into one tape. Next time we want to restore a backup, we can choose
what date available in that particular tape.
I have zero experience with tape on Linux. I've been
googling around
and it seems that the backup operation is very different.
For example:
- The tape is 400GB (LTO-3)
- The data is only 10GB
Some of the articles I read imply that 1 tape contains 1
backup-file only.
CMIIW. This is certainly not very efficient. The commands used are: mt, either tar, cpio. ...
I recommend buying some commercial tape backup software.. freeware for tape is woefully poor.
common packages include...
Legato (from EMC) Symantec Backup Exec and its big brother NetBackup Tivoli StorageManager (from IBM) HP DataProtector Express (hoary, but quite robust andcheaper than the above)
and there's a bunch of smaller players, like NovaStor, Yosemite, etc
the big ugly with all of these is the tape formats and catalogs are generally NOT interchangable.
btw, I would think twice about keeping 40 daily backups on the same tape, thats a lot of eggs in one basket. LTO /is/ quite reliable, but still...
I use Bacula on Centos 5.1. It's a dedicated backup server. P4-1.8/512m/36G drive/DDS4 tape drive. Backs up local files (backup catalogs, etc...) and network files just fine. Using DDS-4. It will control Autoloaders, according to the docs, but I don't have one yet. Spans tapes just fine (Manual changes...). I looked at amanda at the time, but there was some issues with Tape spanning, if I recall. I force it to my schedule, (full on Wednesday, diffs the rest of the week, new Volume each week.) but it's perfectly capable of taking care of itself once you set it up. I haven't used a Windows backup program in years, but Bacula is at least as capable as Backup Exec was last time I used it. 2003~ish, with an Exabyte LTO-2 library. Will back up windows Clients too, but I'm not doing that. I'm backing up files to a Samba Server, and that's what goes on tape. One thing I notice about Amanda/Zmanda, is they are now touting the ability to backup to Amazon's S3.... I would have pursued it more at the time, if it was an option then..... You can use BAT, Bacula console and the Gnome Bacula monitor in a GUI, if you want, or use the CLI....
I can't justify spending money for backup software, when Bacula and Amanda work as well as they do.....
Dennis
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Anne Wilson -
Dennis McLeod -
Fajar Priyanto -
John R Pierce -
Kevin Thorpe -
Martyn Drake -
Mike Peterson -
Ray Leventhal -
Terry Polzin