Linux Format forums

Re: Raspberry pi as remote backup server...

MartyBartfast — Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:03 pm

Author: MartyBartfast

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:03 pm

Thanks for the pointer to BackupPC, I haven't looked at it before so I'll check it out.

Re: Raspberry pi as remote backup server...

nelz — Fri Jan 25, 2013 9:51 am

Author: nelz

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 9:51 am

That sounds a good plan. You could also consider running BackupPC on the Pi, although it may be a little slow depending on the number of computers you are backing up - there is a package for it in the Raspian repos.

Re: Raspberry pi as remote backup server...

MartyBartfast — Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:53 pm

Author: MartyBartfast

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:53 pm

All my backups are already done to a local partition on each box, then they rsync to headless system in the spare room, thereby giving me redundancy within the house.

The headless system in the spare room could then be rsyncing all night every night if required (I'd probably schedule it to only sync overnight so as not to interfere with the 'interactive user experience').

At the moment I do a full backup once a week and incrementals daily but I might need to change the schedule on that to maybe only do a full backup once a month or so depending on how it goes. Thinking about it stuff like my pictures & music don't change that much so could just have a full backup every 6 months or so.

Re: Raspberry pi as remote backup server...

bobthebob1234 — Thu Jan 24, 2013 6:08 pm

Author: bobthebob1234

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 6:08 pm

Upload/Download speeds?
Might want initial backup locally then walk/cycle/drive/post/carrier pigeon data across.

Raspberry pi as remote backup server...

MartyBartfast — Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:29 pm

Author: MartyBartfast

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:29 pm

I was thinking of getting myself a pi, sticking an old 2.5" laptop disk on it, and plugging it into the back of my Mother in law's broadband router, and then rsyncing my own backups over to it to have an offsite backup. I would also probably have her PC backup to it, and I would be able to rsync those backups to our house to offsite her stuff.

I've already got the 2.5" disk, and suitable power supplies, so the only outlay would be for the pi itself which would be headless & keyboard/mouseless once it's been initially built.

I'd set up dynamic DNS for her place, use ssh for the connection, and would run ssh over a suitable port which would need to be opened up & forwarded on the router.

I probably need ~20-30GB of storage and I've thought of using dropbox/google/microsoft cloud storage but then I'm into the realms of paying monthly for that amount of storage, and I'm putting my stuff into the hands of the mega-corps so I'm not that keen.

Are there any potential pitfalls that I haven't thought of in this setup, or anything else I need to consider?

Do you think it's worth doing, or is it just too much hassle?