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This is probably one of those topics that gets regurgitated periodically, but it's always good to get some fresh answers.
The small consultancy business I work for wants to set up a new file server with remote backup. In the past we have used a Windows XP file server and plugged in a couple of external USB drives when space runs out. Backups were performed nightly to a USB drive and taken offsite to a trusted employees home.
They are looking to Linux for a new file server (I think more because they found out how much a new Windows file server would be).
I'm not a server guy but I have set up a simple Debian-based web server at work for a specific intranet application, but when I was asked about ideas for the new system the best I could come up with was maybe ssh+rsync (which I have only recently started using myself so I'm no expert by any means). Using Amazon's cloud service has been suggested, as well as the remote being a dedicated machine at a trusted employee's home (probably with a new dedicated line in) or with our local ISP (if they can offer such a service). A new dedicated line out of the office has also been suggested, I think mainly because daily file changes can potentially be quite large (3D CAD models etc). A possible advantage of the remote being nearby is that the initial backup could be using a portable hard drive instead of having to uploading terabytes of data (I guess there is always courier services though).
Anyway, just thought I'd chuck it out there. A lot of you guys probably already set up and/or look after remote backup systems. Even if anyone just has some ideas regarding potential traps/pitfalls would be handy. The company is fairly small (about 20-odd employees) so I don't think they need anything overly elaborate, but all feedback is appreciated.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 11 2014, @03:03AM
We ensure that we use multiple methods and multiple vendors. Right now we are using Jungledisk (writes to rackspace or amazon clouds) because it is enterprisey, Linux & Windows support, compression/dedup and great backup history. For long term backups we are also looking at amazon glacier. Have cycled through several vendors and found that cheap backup is very expensive to manage and keep working. Pick a good one.
I am sure that all the other answers mentioning removeable media are using encryption. Make sure you use it too to avoid a data breach.
And remember, the only good backup is a tested, verified and fire-drilled backup. What ever you pick make sure you can get actually get the files back*.
*long story made short - I had to fix a system where /dev/ct0 became a regular file instead of the tape device. They had been backing up the db to a very large file named ct0, not the tape.
(Score: 2) by mojo chan on Friday July 11 2014, @07:30AM
Amazon Glacier is rather good for long term, rarely changing backups, and also pretty cheap.
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