Linux Software: Backup Solutions

[Osiris]

The following is a selection of Linux backup solutions. Applications with free versions (indicated as [Free]) are listed before commercial programs. Note: Freeware and GNU Library General Public License often come with restrictions. Users should check copyright and licensing statements from the developers.


afbackup [Free]
afbackup is a client-server backup system allowing many workstations to backup to a central server (simultaneously or serially). Backups can be started remotely from the server or via cron jobs on the clients. Platform: Linux / Unix.

AMANDA [Free]
AMANDA--the Advanced Maryland Automatic Network Disk Archiver--is a backup system that allows the administrator of a LAN to set up a single master backup server to back up multiple hosts to a single large capacity tape drive. Platform: Linux / Unix.
Bacula [Free]
Bacula is a set of computer programs that permit you to manage backup, recovery, and verification of computer data across a network of computers of different kinds. Platform: Linux, FreeBSD, SunOS/Solaris, Windows.
BrightStor ARCserve Backup for Linux
Beyond simple data protection, BrightStor ARCserve Backup uses multiple data verification methods to enable maximum data integrity and recovery capabilities across all popular Linux distributions.
Mondo [Free]
Mondo is a free CD- or tape-based disaster-recovery suite. It supports LVM, RAID, almost any type of file system, and bare metal restore. Platform: Linux, Windows.
NDMP [Free]
Though not a backup application, NDMP (Network Data Management Protocol) allows backup and network file server vendors to focus on functionality instead of porting to new operating systems. It is an open standard protocol for network-based backup for network-attached storage.
UBT [Free]
UBT (Unix Backup Tool) is a tool written in Tcl/Tk that is using Expect to control user interaction. It allows automatic creation of the machines and file systems list used for backup. It has a nice interface to change the options and follow the backup progress. Platform: Linux, Solaris, SunOs.
Arkeia
For heterogeneous networks, Arkeia provides a fast, automated backup and recovery system. Platform: Linux / Unix, Windows, Mac OS X, etc.
BackupEDGE
BackupEDGE from Microlite is a backup, restore and recovery product for tapes, CD, DVD, and other media. Platform: Linux / Unix.
Backup Express
Backup Express is an enterprise-wide backup and restore solution for heterogeneous network environments. Its unique distributed architecture provides centralized control for all backup and restore functions with a single catalog. Platform: Linux / Unix, Windows.
LCR by Unitrends
LCR, the Linux Crash Recovery software, enables systems administrators to quickly restore Linux-based computers to full working order within minutes. Platform: Linux.
Lone-Tar
With its fast and accurate backups, Lone-Tar is a viable software choice for backup and recovery. Platform: Linux / Unix.
The Networker Line
Legato has several products in their Networker line that offer backup and critical data management solutions for heterogeneous network environments. Platform: Linux / Unix, Windows.
NovaNET 8 for Linux
NovaNET backs up and recovers to any machine on the network, whether running Windows, Linux, or NetWare.
Time Navigator for Linux
Linux users can benefit from a complete professional backup solution, with the possibility to protect heterogeneous networks including Windows, Unix, NetWare or VMS machines. Platform: Linux.
Unisol Bart
An unattended network backup system that includes archive, restore, and tape management functions, Unisol Bart makes it easy to schedule file system backups for the user's entire network, keeping track of backup tapes, and allowing users to schedule file restores using the online tape database. Platform: Linux / Unix.

Backup Solutions for Linux

[Jayce]

Hm. I've always used a samba server and just had the rest of my family (6 computers in the house... I know, I know) just \\192.168.x.x, log in with their username, and copy/paste stuff to my shared hard drive. Then I'd rsync that shared drive to a 2nd drive, for redundancy reasons.

Out of the following options, is there anything that would automatically synchronize their "my documents" folder to my shared drive? Or would my current setup of samba+rsync(to two drives) be the most efficient way?

Note - My computer is Hardy Heron 64 bit. Everybody else's is Windows XP Professional SP2/3.

[CalcProgrammer1]

Happen to know of any backup programs that can make an image of a hard drive partition? My laptop HDD is going bad and I want to image my Windows partition so I can recover the whole thing on a replacement drive. I'm looking at Linux apps because when I back up on my desktop, I'll be in Linux (laptop drive = Windows and Ubuntu, but it's going to be the primary in my desktop when I backup, and Windows only boots on the machine you install it on, my desktop's secondary drive has no OS, it's a storage drive where I plan to put the image from my laptop) so that's why I'm asking here.

[Jayce]

Calc -

I posted a similar question on Ubuntu Forums. (I'm Roasted)
Maybe it'll have what you're looking for.

I haven't looked into imaging drives any deeper, though. I've been reading more about nvidia dual screening in Ubuntu, so I haven't tested out these backup solutions.

[ubuntu] Cloning a hard drive. - Ubuntu Forums