backup and disaster recovery

[Scott H]

> From: George Toft <george@georgetoft.com>

> Scott H wrote:
> > 
> > I am working on methods for recovery of a
> Linux
> > server, and I wanted to run this by the group
> for
> > comments or recommendations, since I'm new to
> > this. I have a server which acts as an email
> > relay, storing no mail locally.  It also
> stores
> > no other data, besides the configuration data
> for
> > its mail systems. I plan to set up an
> automated,
> > regular complete backup for it, but I was
> also
> > considering this:  Say I have among my
> partitions
> > on this box:
> > 
> > sda2    /
> > sda3    /backups
> > sda5    /var/log
> > sda7    /var/spool
> > 
> > Let's say I set up mirrordir to keep /backups
> > (sda3) mirrored from / (sda2) maybe once per
> > night or week.  Then, if I manage to mess up
> the
> > OS (as I recently did, running tripwire and
> > up2date at the same time - don't ask) and the
> > machine won't boot, I wouldn't have to resort
> to
> > a rebuild and the tape backup.  I could boot
> the
> > box to my LNX-BBC CD (or a Tom's root boot),
> > change fstab to mount sda3 as / and sda2 as
> > /backups, and reboot the box.  As long as
> > mirrordir hadn't yet copied whatever
> corruption
> > was in the OS, I should be able to boot and
> go
> > just as things were the last time mirrordir
> ran,
> > right?????????  Better ways to do this?
> > 
> > Scott
> 
> 
> Hi Scott,
> 
> Here's what I did at a web hosting company.  I
> had another drive
> installed that mounted on /backup at midnight
> (maybe later, depending on
> server load at midnight).  My backup script
> copied /etc, /root, /home,
> and /var.  That was it.  Everything else could
> be rebuilt from the
> master image.
> 
> You could follow this same scheme (if using Red
> Hat).  If you hose your
> OS, or the drive fails, reinstall using your
> kickstart config file
> (located in /root), then restore your data from
> the other drive.  I use
> this method for my firewall, and I tested it
> (bare metal recovery).  The
> scripts to do this are on my site
> (georgetoft.com - linux - cool shell
> scripts).
> 
> Your idea is pretty slick, though - switch
> partitions in fstab, reboot
> and go.  Keep in mind what happens if your
> drive fails.

Thanks for your comments, George.  One other
question: Is there any problem with using
mirrordir for the entire / partition?  I mean,
there are undoutedly files that are open (and
locked?) by the OS at all times.  Might mirrordir
not be able to copy these?  Has anyone actually
mirrored the partition mounted at  /   ?


.

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