Difference between revisions of "Rdiff-backup"
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'''rdiff-backup''' is a [[:Category:Linux Command Line Tools|command line tool]] that backs up one directory to another, possibly over a network. The target directory ends up a copy of the source directory, but extra reverse diffs are stored in a special subdirectory of that target directory, so you can still recover files lost some time ago. The idea is to combine the best features of a mirror and an incremental backup. <code>rdiff-backup</code> also preserves subdirectories, hard links, dev files, permissions, uid/gid ownership, modification times, extended attributes, acls, and resource forks. Also, <code>rdiff-backup</code> can operate in a bandwidth efficient manner over a pipe, like [[Rsync (command)|rsync]]. Thus you can use <code>rdiff-backup</code> and [[ssh]] to securely back a hard drive up to a remote location, and only the differences will be transmitted. Finally, <code>rdiff-backup</code> is easy to use and settings have sensical defaults. | '''rdiff-backup''' is a [[:Category:Linux Command Line Tools|command line tool]] that backs up one directory to another, possibly over a network. The target directory ends up a copy of the source directory, but extra reverse diffs are stored in a special subdirectory of that target directory, so you can still recover files lost some time ago. The idea is to combine the best features of a mirror and an incremental backup. <code>rdiff-backup</code> also preserves subdirectories, hard links, dev files, permissions, uid/gid ownership, modification times, extended attributes, acls, and resource forks. Also, <code>rdiff-backup</code> can operate in a bandwidth efficient manner over a pipe, like [[Rsync (command)|rsync]]. Thus you can use <code>rdiff-backup</code> and [[ssh]] to securely back a hard drive up to a remote location, and only the differences will be transmitted. Finally, <code>rdiff-backup</code> is easy to use and settings have sensical defaults. | ||
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| − | * Step 2: Install <code>rdiff-backup</code> | + | * Step 2: Install <code>rdiff-backup</code> (you will need Python v2.2 or later) |
<pre> | <pre> | ||
python setup.py install | python setup.py install | ||
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will backup <code>dir1</code> to <code>dir2</code> on a different system (provided <code>rdiff-backup</code> is installed on both systems). <code>rdiff-backup</code> also comes with a lot of up-to-date [http://www.nongnu.org/rdiff-backup/docs.html documentation]. | will backup <code>dir1</code> to <code>dir2</code> on a different system (provided <code>rdiff-backup</code> is installed on both systems). <code>rdiff-backup</code> also comes with a lot of up-to-date [http://www.nongnu.org/rdiff-backup/docs.html documentation]. | ||
| − | == See also == | + | ==See also== |
| − | * [[ | + | *[[rsync]] |
== External links == | == External links == | ||
Latest revision as of 02:09, 26 April 2007
rdiff-backup is a command line tool that backs up one directory to another, possibly over a network. The target directory ends up a copy of the source directory, but extra reverse diffs are stored in a special subdirectory of that target directory, so you can still recover files lost some time ago. The idea is to combine the best features of a mirror and an incremental backup. rdiff-backup also preserves subdirectories, hard links, dev files, permissions, uid/gid ownership, modification times, extended attributes, acls, and resource forks. Also, rdiff-backup can operate in a bandwidth efficient manner over a pipe, like rsync. Thus you can use rdiff-backup and ssh to securely back a hard drive up to a remote location, and only the differences will be transmitted. Finally, rdiff-backup is easy to use and settings have sensical defaults.
Installation
- Step 1: Make sure you have
librsyncinstalled on your system. If not downlaod the package, extract the contents, and then execute the following commands:
./configure make make install ldconfig
- Step 2: Install
rdiff-backup(you will need Python v2.2 or later)
python setup.py install
That's it! You are ready to start making regular backups.
Using rdiff-backup
- In most cases, the command
rdiff-backup dir1 dir2
will work out-of-the-box to backup dir1 to dir2.
rdiff-backup dir1 user@system::/dir2
will backup dir1 to dir2 on a different system (provided rdiff-backup is installed on both systems). rdiff-backup also comes with a lot of up-to-date documentation.
