Poll: How often do you backup?

Just did it this morning. It is a Tuesday morning job because my wife is away and I can then update, backup, etc. her system. And of course mine also.

I backup both systems to a third one (a headless old type of a beast) using my own version of rsnapshot (I save 10 backups , normally 10 weeks; uses rsync and hardlinks to see that a file that stays the same is only stored once for those 10 backups).

In fact I do not backup the system software, because that can be retrieved by installing and updating. So what is saved? First and for all /home. Then /etc for all the system configurations and /boot for menu.lst. I have a small website on one system  (only for the LAN) so /srv is also saved. And, as long as I have space for it, I save /var because once I needed something from there.

Because I am on Dialup, to regain my working system with all the updates takes too much effort to do. So I prefer to have a ready to go HD that I can simply plug back in. If I had more Bandwidth I would probably do like you do Hcvv except not as often.

As a side question is how long do some of you folks save old backups? I still have some I made back from Windows 3.1 on floppy disks. Not sure why I still keep them around (Pack rat-itis?).

How long? As I told above, 10 of the backups, that is about 10 weeks.
Read the rsnapshot docs for all sorts of combination of daily, weekly, etc.

I understand why you do as you it. It means that you have enough space to backup all of your data (I have not, that is why I do not backup everything). I tht case I still would do it my way. Using rsync means that, once you have your first backup, your next backup will only transfer the differences. Using the hard links means also that files that never change will only be once on the backup media.
This again means that running a backup does not take to much time even on the LAN, let alone on the same system. It also means that a backup can be taken while you are working on the system. Doing a dd means in fact that both disks may not be in use, else most likely you will have corrupted files in the end.

You could even, when you have the system switched on normally, start the backup from cron, omitting the need to wait for a rainy day.

On the other hand, when you clone to a disk, you may want to remove the disk and keep on a more remote place. My backup system is about 1m from my own system, so when a fire starts ....
I must add that I save some of my most important data (a database with the description of 15.000 colour slides) by exporting them (after e.g. adding the data of a vacation). The exported files are gathered by tar and compressed. The resulting file is stored at my ISP on the disk space I have there (comes with the connection) using webdav.

That reminds me of a HDD Dock Station I saw in a cyberguys catalog. The bare Sata HD simply slips into the dock, like a slice of bread into a toaster, and hooks to your computer via a USB 2 or eSata connector. Looked like a fairly handy gadget to have.

Does anyone use such a external HD for B/U's? Would be handy for taking the HD to safe storage.

Well, reading this it reminds me of the fact that my HP slim desktop has a 'HP Pocket Media Drive Bay'.  You can get disks (> 300Gb) that fit in there like you mention. Not bad for backup IMO.

But for a good backup scenario you need at least a few. With two you can bring them to a save place (a friend, a bank) and use them alternative. A bit to much for just your home PC.

Well I back up daily due to the amount of work related data I handle. And mattb4 I have serveral of the USB to sata contraptions that get used all the time. They are wonderful for backing up a HDD or accessing a failing Hdd for data rescue etc...

I don't back up near as much as I should.

Thanks for that Welan. I was curious about functionality of such things. Might just pick one up when I gather enough extra funds. Would of had enough, but I just ordered a 3-PT Hitch quick attach device for the Mule. Getting anything hitched to that critter has been a chore up till now.

I do weekly backups. As like hcvv, i back up /home,/etc & /srv.Backups are kept for 2 months at a time,which reminds me i need to do one this weekend.Backups are stored in a fire-proof container,which,apparently,can stand up to 840c

Andy

Whats a backup? I have to admit the data on my PC is very transient, though did I have data that wasn't I would and have done brief bits in the past. Even have a redundant pc here that could be used. Like others even when I did it was just a simple manual rsync of /home.

Though having seen the idea of using svn on the /home I have been tempted to try as I thought it was quite a good idea, but mainly for the play aspect not so much the data loss.

I do monthly backups using a tape-drive. I put all my important data, about 20G, on one cassette, which takes me about 3 hours. Of course, I don't need to stand besides the machine to watch it backup. I start the backup and leave the house. When I come back, the backup is finished. But the tapes are expensive.

Nothing like your 20GB Eberhard. Used to have a Colorado Tape drive for Backup back on a Compaq Proliant 486 66Mhz. I do not remember the capacity but it was only like 250MB. I think I still have some of the Tapes somewhere about. Funny, but I do not recall ever needing to use it for a restoration.

3 hours? That is just enough time to drop by the General Store and swap a few lies, err.. stories.

At work I have a server which has a raid array and all important data is kept on it. It is security cabled to the wall (theft is a big problem here - although the tendency now is to steal laptops and leave the desktops alone).

At home the computer is for fun, and if I lost everything, it wouldn't matter.

I keep all registration codes for software on gmail.

T he missing option in theis poll is"Not often enough".

I do approximately weekly. It's the documents in which I keep everything & the pictures, both change about weekly.