Unix dumps

[Jeff Walczak]

In article <3505 at zorba.Tynan.COM> schriste at uceng.UC.EDU (Steven V. Christensen) writes:

>	1) I am familiar with the unix "dump" command. Is there a better
>		way? We will use the cartridge tapes standard for Suns.
>	2) How often should backups be done? There will be some moderate
>		programming at first, and then some data operating later.
>	3) What combination of full and incremental backups are the
>		norm for unix systems?
>

1) dump is the only way I know but it should more than suit your needs.

2) You should dump partitions that change often (such as user partitions)
   every day with a level2 dump. This dumps any files which have been changed
   since the last level 1 dump. Once a week you should do a level 1 dump
   which dumps all files which have been modified since the last level 0
   dump. Finally, at the beginning of the month, instead of doing your weekly
   dump, you do a monthly dump (level 0) which dumps all files in that 
   partition. You can determine how long you would like to save the monthly
   dumps and you can rotate the daily dumps every week and the weekly dumps
   every month. This way you can restore whole directories simply by just
   starting with the most recent monthly, then the most recent weekly and 
   then the last daily, or whatever, depending on what was lost and when.

3) For less important partitions, just weekly and monthlies might be ok.
   like /usr or /var etc.

You might want to consider setting up a shell script to run your dumps for
you. I have a sample one that figures out what the date is and runs the
appropriate level dumps. If you want a copy you can mail me.

Hope this helps.

					Jeff Walczak	

internet: walczak at cs.buffalo.edu	bitnet:	walczak at sunybcs.BITNET
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