Topic: [ANNOUNCE] smeserver-dar2

[dmay]

Is the partial/differential/incremental functionality of DAR in operation yet?

No. The only value incremental backup provides is to reduce backup time. In practice incremental backups (in general not simply dar) are prone to failure when it comes time to restore. IMO incremental backups are not a reliable choice to make. Therefore I will not recommend, add and support this feature myself. However, an experienced admin can of course custom build their own incremental backup jobs should they wish to accept the incremental failure risk.

Currently, to meet the goal of reduced backup time dar2 permits multistreaming multiple backup jobs to different targets, on different days, as well as excluding/pruning backup selections. Overall an effective backup strategy begins with an effective data directory structure. Thoughtful management here, in combination with the dar2 features above, is hoped to meet most needs.

Darrell

[dmay]

beta 5 released:

Code: [Select]

# rpm -qp --changelog smeserver-dar2-0.0.1-b5dmay.noarch.rpm
* Mon Oct 09 2006 Darrell May <dmay@myezserver.com>
- bugfix:1966 edited Exclude/Prune labels & switched display order
- added archive listing to dar2-backup output
- [0.0.1-b5dmay]
Darrell

[dmay]

Hi Darrell,

Is there any difference on a 911 restore between running your script as noted above (/etc/e-smith/events/actions/dar2-dr-restore) and setting up an equivalent backup job using the panel and initiating a restore and subsequent reconfigure from there?

Their are a few key differences:

- you do not have to set up the job via the panel
- you get to see via the console exactly what is happening during the restore
- post-upgrade;reboot is automatic

Thanks for the report. Glad to hear the restore worked as expected.

[TIP] As for contribs. I recommend everyone store all contribs in use under /root/contribs. Whether a tarball, script or rpm. In this way the standard backup will grab them and restore them. After a disaster recovery restore (possibly a server upgrade) it is up to you to verify the contrib is suitable for the SME version installed and reinstall if desired. The best part is you at least know precisely what you had in the past by simply looking in /root/contribs.

Darrell

[piran]

<No...>
Thank you for the clear response. Agree entirely. Particularly your
viewpoint on the use of incrementals. Caveat: Dantz's Retrospect -
a full backup with intelligent differentials which has proved itself
here over the years on the M$ boxes (their Linux port is too costly).

<...an effective backup strategy begins with an effective data directory structure.>
Agreed, I've had nearly a screenful of hierarchically tailored backups
jobs in each of  the contribs' various iterations. Mental gymnastics and
forward planning required to squeeze into available target resources.

<Thoughtful management...>
'Thought': I now need a LOT more network added storage, as had been
counting on differentials being stirred into the final mix. Will have to
manually segregate large tracts of non-changing stuff away from daily
changeables to make daily backup jobs use up less target resource. I
had orginally hoped that this thread would develop into or near what
Dantz Retrospect does so utterly brilliantly on my M$ boxes.

BTW your Backup2 contrib very recently pulled my site through the
SME6 to SME7 local hiatus impeccably and my expectation is that
your alliance with Jean's DAR will prove to be even better;~)

[dmay]

BTW your Backup2 contrib very recently pulled my site through the SME6 to SME7 local hiatus impeccably and my expectation is that ...

Thanks. The main reason I switched to dar was to get a completely GPL contrib to better facilitate inclusion into the core distro. Another reason I did not include incremental support is I doubt this is something the core team would ever want to support. Too much risk!

Since you have experience w. backup2 how about testing and reporting your dar2 results. The more feedback the better. The last few beta releases have all come from bug reports and feedback suggestions. Most appreciated  

Darrell

[piran]

Another reason I did not include incremental support

Full backups with recent differentials work locally at my site.
If that development option arises then sign me up as a tester.

...how about testing and reporting your dar2 results.

OK. Now awaiting delivery of further storage capacity to cope with the
declared development roadmap (ie no differentials likely). Intend to
increase M$ workstation's resources with a 500GB disk share.

http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver/contribs//dmay \ /smeserver/7.x/testing/smeserver-dar2/smeserver-usb-disk-howto.htm

To experiment with your new USB mount HOWTO have also ordered
a 500GB USB2/FW400 box (quicker than a gigabit network share?).

[postedit: to shorten the URL to avoid horizontal scrolling]

[piran]

The main reason I switched to dar was to get a completely GPL contrib to better facilitate inclusion into the core distro.

Does this mean my purchased license for WinRAR is now redundant?

[piran]

Does the adoption of DAR technology mean I can now 'safely' stack up
multiple back up jobs concurrently which will stress my intranet's (gigabit)
'bandwidth' and similarly stress the server's CPU utilisation/loading factor?
Previously your concern was with (samba?/nfs?/smb?/network?) time-outs.

[Snoopyski]

Hello Darrell,

First, THANKS for all of your works (contribs) that put SME on another stage !!!  

I just have a small question...

Why your contribs use now a .dar extension over a "international" (must extended in world) .RAR extension or other ?

It is possible to get the choice between .dar and .rar or other (.gz, .zip, etc...) ?

It's just a question... Is it's because .dar is more stable, compressive, faster, etc... ?

And do you know if a Windows software was available to extract a .dar file ?

Thanks for all answer...

Snoopyski

[dmay]

Does the adoption of DAR technology mean I can now 'safely' stack up multiple back up jobs concurrently.

This is not new. This was always a coded feature of backup2 and has no relationship to the engine underneath (ie rar/dar).

Previously your concern was with (samba?/nfs?/smb?/network?) time-outs.

Wrong contrib. That was in reference to JPL's rebuild of e-smith-backup. The only relationship my contrib has is it uses dar as well. Otherwise mine is simply an update of backup2. They are two completely different contribs with two completely separate Bug Tracker categories.

Darrell

[Snoopyski]

OK Darell,

Thanks... And I really appreciate your work...

So if you need help for french translation.. let me know  

Snoopyski

[dmay]

Why your contribs use now a .dar extension over.....

You can find everything you want to know about dar at the authors site here:

http://dar.linux.free.fr

Darrell

[dmay]

So if you need help for french translation, let me know  

You build it. I'll include it. Open invitation to all translators

[piran]

Old or no longer used jobs are seemingly being 'left' in /mnt/dar2/
when the original jobs are 'removed' from the server panel. On the
same tack what about their logs /var/dar2/mydomain/oldjobnames?

[dmay]

Old or no longer used jobs are seemingly being 'left' in /mnt/dar2/...

From the very first post:

All bug reports or new feature requests (NFR) should go directly to the contribs bug tracker:

http://bugs.contribs.org/enter_bug.cgi?product=SME%20Contribs
Component: smeserver-dar2