[CentOS] backup server..

Thu Sep 14 02:35:00 UTC 2006
Brad Falzon <brad.mailing at adam.com.au>

Hi Sebastien
> (1.) In terms of backup, I'd like to have a cron sending out an nightly
> incremental backup of user files. 
* In regards to nightly incremental backups, we simply use the rsync 
utility to pull the backups from a server onto the backup host also 
running linux
> I'd also like to have HDA to be copied
> backed up entirely (maybe weekly) onto HDB (were're not going to use
> 140GB anyway!) so that is hda crashes, I`d swap both of the hdds and
> boot from the backup. 
I would highly advise simply paying the money for a RAID Controller card 
to handle all of this for you. You mentioned that you do not have 
physical access to the server, so the Raid card can easily handle hdd 
failures and send you an email letting you know that you need to replace 
the other drive.
> Now for that second step, I was reading that dd
> was quite CPU intensive? Would there be other alternatives? Advices on
> doing backups?
>   
As above, we use the 3ware 8000 series raid cards because of its great 
track record (we always have and always will use 3ware) and freebsd / 
linux support.

> (2.) I've got no physical access to the box, and the box has obviously
> no video or sound. Considering this, would it possible to remotely
> administer the box using VNC in a GUI environment? - I figured 2Ghz
> could probably handle me starting x sometimes...! So if possible.. How
> would I do it? I`m assuming there are no `yum install x`....
>   
Never a good idea to run X when you dont need to. All Administration can 
be done via config files on the command-line and any system-config gui 
programs usually have a commandline replacement anyway. But if you 
really wanted X check out 'yum grouplist' and 'yum groupinstall "X 
Window System"'
> Anyway.. Thanks for any input you may have on the both topics!
>
> Cheers, 
>
> Seb.
>