Addressing challenges associated with Linux backup

Listen to the Linux backup FAQ

What are the common pitfalls people run into when performing backups in a Linux environment?

Some of the biggest pitfalls people run into with Linux backup have to do with compatibility. For example, I've seen people buy an elaborate tape library, and there aren't any Linux drivers available. I've also seen issues when someone chooses an agent-based backup software product, and they are backing up a heterogeneous environment, and there aren't agents available for the operating systems they are trying to back up.

Are there specific tools available for Linux backup?

There are many, and BackupPC is one of the ...

Digg This!     StumbleUpon     Del.icio.us

RELATED CONTENT Data storage backup tools HP expands laptop and desktop data backup with Data Protector Notebook Extension Data backup and recovery news briefs: Rackspace unveils cloud-based file storage apps EMC gives Avamar desktop and laptop support Terremark acquires managed data backup and recovery provider DS3 DataVaulting Data backup and recovery news briefs: Dynamic Solutions introduces data deduplication products Creating a System Recovery Disk in Windows 7: A step-by-step tutorial Modern data backup and recovery system considerations Data backup and recovery news briefs: Thales Group releases CryptoStor Tape 3.0 appliance Data archiving reduces data backup workload prior to data deduplication Symantec releases Linux version of Backup Exec System Recovery

RELATED RESOURCES 2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary

better known ones. Others include TimeVault, Clonezilla, Duplicity, Amanda, and Rsych. So, there are definitely quite a few options to choose from.

Do the major data backup software vendors offer Linux compatible products?

Pretty much every data backup software vendor supports Linux to at least some degree. For example, Symantec Corp. Veritas and CommVault both offer Linux solutions.

What about data deduplication? Are there products available that perform deduplication in a Linux environment?

There are, but data deduplication is performed to different degrees depending on what software you are using. A lot of times when vendors are talking about data deduplication today, they are talking about byte-level backups. What I've seen in the Linux environment, is data deduplication at the file-level. For example, with BackupPC, if you are backing up five servers and each server has the same version of a file, the software only backs up that file once.

Brian Posey is a freelance writer focusing on IT. He previously served as the CIO for a national healthcare company, network administrator for the Department of Defense at Fort Knox, and for some of the nation's largest insurance companies.