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Date:      Fri, 22 Sep 2000 20:05:50 -0700
From:      "Elitetek" <freebsd@tekrealm.net>
To:        "Mike Meyer" <mwm@mired.org>
Cc:        <questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject:   Re: a few questions...
Message-ID:  <00e701c0250b$2dcfb970$da21bc40@tekrealm.net>
References:  <14795.54309.457447.943449@guru.mired.org>

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> Elitetek writes:
> > second, im using a script file to tar selected directories for backup,
and
> > wanted
> > to get some opinions
> > for now im just backing up
> > /root
> > /etc
> > /var
> > /usr/local
> > /sbin
> > /usr/home
> > /usr/src/sys/i386/conf
>
> That's not enough stuff to generate a bootable system. No kernel, no
> devices, etc. Personally, I wouldn't back up /dev with tar, but I'm
> paranoid. It's not at all clear what you're trying to do with the
> backup, either.
>

I am aware of this, if my system dies, i plan on doing a fresh load. It is
just as easy to do it from scratch as it is to do it from a backup in my
opinion.

> > is there anything i should add or remove from that list?
>
> Depends on the goal. Do you want to be able to recreate the system
> from backups, or from the distribution CDROM + backups?  If the
> former, you need to put everything on the backup - root and all. If
> the latter, you don't need /sbin, and most of the stuffin /var, /etc
> or /root.
>
> However, if you did a default install, or otherwise didn't dump
> everything on the root file system, it should be relatively small. In
> that case, I'd recommend backing up the entire root file system with
> dump, then adding the dump file to your tar backup. That will
> eliminate /root, /etc, /sbin and possibly /var.
>
> If nothing goes into /usr/local but packages, you don't need to back
> that up if you're going to reinstall from CDROM. You do need to back
> up /var (which you're doing) so you have a know what was
> installed. Saving a copy of the distfiles (if you build from ports) is
> a good idea. If you're installing packages from the CDROM, you've
> already got them. Config files on /usr/local you've edited need to be
> dealt with. Ideally, you've got a list of what you've changed, how you
> changed it, and why, so you don't really need to back them up
>
> Personally, I store every config file I touch in a source control
> system, complete with revision history - and then make sure I back up
> the database for it. That includes the things in
> /usr/src/sys/i386/conf.
>
> If you do all the above, keep the root dump and the source control
> system database in /usr/home somewhere, all you have to tar up is
> /usr/home. You should then be able to recreate your system after a
> total failure on a fressh from whats on the tar image.
>
> > i want to have backups if my system should fail/and or is hacked
>
> Failures are (usually) easy to detect, and just having your recent tar
> image would fix it. Hacking is harder to detect, and you may need to
> go back to an older backup - or reinstall from scratch - to fix
> that. Proper treatment is a bit complex for an already to-long
> message.
>
> <mike
>
>
> To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
> with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
>


I am just trying to make sure i have a copy of all my changes. Most
likely, what i would do if i was in need of those backups, is either
extract them on my winbloz box, and transfer what is needed, or just
take note of all the config changes i made. Also i have a tendacy to
like to keep all logs, for review purposes.

when i get the system complete (still in devel of alot of stuff) i plan on
doing a dump, and putting it on cd or something, and creating a boot
disk that will give me enough access so that i can access the cd, and
copy stuff back if thats what i decide to do.

In the mean time, im just worried about all the changes i have made,
and all the extra scripts/cgi/etc that i have made. and this seems
to do that, im just currious if there are any other area's that i am missing
i have a pretty plain install, other then webservices, which mainly float
around apache.

This methoed of backup is also going to be implemented on a
webserver i am building at work for hosting/email/etc.

and i just need enough info like dns so that i dont have to spend the time
to recreate it all.. so i can get it up in a timely fashion.


EliteTek

P.S sorry for such a long msg



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