[opensuse] NAS backup solution for OpenSuSE users
Dear all We run a small office and is preparing to buy an NAS device to backup every workstation. There are a lot of available NAS devices on the market (most of them runs Linux) and many of them ship with backup software that I can install on every workstation and automate the backup process. Since I use OpenSuSE and I am in position to choose the products, I must choose something that either offer backup software that can be installed on Linux, or offer easy way to let me configure OpenSuSE to backup to that thing. I am looking for devices below 500 USD (because we don't have too high requirements on disk space and connection bandwidth). Better be very linux compatible. However when I ask for Linux compatibility every retailer says they support Linux 100% and all of them don't know what they are saying (some of them start to think of a bitten apple logo). If you have been to Beijing's Zhong Guancun, the computer market, you know what I mean. Looking through manufacturer's websites is also a lot of homework to do. So, if you have had any experience with some nice cheap NAS device and enjoying backup from OpenSuSE workstation, can you recommend something here? I also think it's very helpful to have an NAS device compatible with any Linux desktop backup software, like Bacula, Amanda and BackupPC, Kbackup, Keep or the native "Backup" feature of yast. Thanks very much in advance. I also think other people using OpenSuSE in small office can benifit from our discussion:) Best regards Zhang Weiwu -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Zhang Weiwu wrote:
Dear all
We run a small office and is preparing to buy an NAS device to backup every workstation. There are a lot of available NAS devices on the market (most of them runs Linux) and many of them ship with backup software that I can install on every workstation and automate the backup process. Since I use OpenSuSE and I am in position to choose the products, I must choose something that either offer backup software that can be installed on Linux, or offer easy way to let me configure OpenSuSE to backup to that thing.
Generally you don't need to install anything on a Linux client machine in order to back it up. Backups are controlled from the backup server, for security reasons among others. The backup server uses rsync to connect to the client machines and Linux clients usually have rsync installed already. If you really mean to use a NAS device that just appears to the clients as an extra disk and then run backup software on every client, I'd suggest reconsidering. There've been several threads on this list discussing backup software. I see two in the past week. Cheers, Dave -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Zhang Weiwu wrote:
Dear all
We run a small office and is preparing to buy an NAS device to backup every workstation. There are a lot of available NAS devices on the market (most of them runs Linux) and many of them ship with backup software that I can install on every workstation and automate the backup process. Since I use OpenSuSE and I am in position to choose the products, I must choose something that either offer backup software that can be installed on Linux, or offer easy way to let me configure OpenSuSE to backup to that thing.
You're confusing issues. The question is what file sharing protocol (SMB, NFS etc.) is being used? Back up software is another question that's not related to the first. NAS simply refers to a storage device that can be accessed over the network. Linux can talk to most, if not all. -- Use OpenOffice.org http://www.openoffice.org -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
James Knott 写道:
Zhang Weiwu wrote:
Dear all
We run a small office and is preparing to buy an NAS device to backup every workstation. There are a lot of available NAS devices on the market (most of them runs Linux) and many of them ship with backup software that I can install on every workstation and automate the backup process. Since I use OpenSuSE and I am in position to choose the products, I must choose something that either offer backup software that can be installed on Linux, or offer easy way to let me configure OpenSuSE to backup to that thing.
You're confusing issues. The question is what file sharing protocol (SMB, NFS etc.) is being used? Back up software is another question that's not related to the first. NAS simply refers to a storage device that can be accessed over the network. Linux can talk to most, if not all.
Hi. I come from requirement aspect to technology solutions, not coming from technology preference to solutions. That means, if the solution works, and easy to get it up running (I also need to care for other OpenSuSE users who are novice, and they probably need to get it running without me being there). That means, anything (smb, nfs, rsync over ssh, apple file sharing protocol, webDAV ....) whatever technology, if it works, we will use it. By "it works", I guess we need incremental backup, the ability to recover from any day in last week, plus being able to recover from any last weekend in last month. It is easy to manage, it works automatically; it doesn't stop and give a message like "mount point doesn't exist or incorrect superblock", rather instead it gives message like "cannot do backup, probably because network is not connected or the device is not properly prepared". etc. I also wish to have something users can manage to recover a file from backup by clicking and selecting, without being told to run a command. In my understanding in order to make NAS for backup purpose, some software must run on the workstations being backed up, because NAS do not know how to pull data (correct me if I am wrong), and the clients must push data, and do it periodically (e.g. every 3:00AM). Also the users needs something in order to select which backup, which file to recover to where. the users also need some software that they can see if they have failed a previous backup or if whole month's backup was properly done, and what is the amount of data. The users also need to know when to add new harddisk before next backup fail because of lack of space. So it's clear our workstation should run some sort of backup software on it, and, the software may pick compatible devices and protocols, like many other Linux software does, and this is exactly how NAS and backup are mentioned in the same email topic and why I asked for information even not telling what protocol I must use (I don't must use any protocol. I bend to any tool that works.) The question is: we have openSuSE workstations and we have Windows workstations, and we wish to use NAS for backup, what should we do? Should I just go to the shop and buy the best seller NAS box and after purchase, investigate how to use it with openSuSE or should I ask before I buy? If the best backup software for Linux prefer NFS over CIFS, then I probably should add nfs support to my checklist when I shop around. I'll also go through historical threads to see if others already have good idea. Sorry if my homework (googling around) wasn't done well enough. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Zhang Weiwu wrote:
James Knott 写道:
Zhang Weiwu wrote:
Dear all
We run a small office and is preparing to buy an NAS device to backup every workstation. There are a lot of available NAS devices on the market (most of them runs Linux) and many of them ship with backup software that I can install on every workstation and automate the backup process. Since I use OpenSuSE and I am in position to choose the products, I must choose something that either offer backup software that can be installed on Linux, or offer easy way to let me configure OpenSuSE to backup to that thing.
You're confusing issues. The question is what file sharing protocol (SMB, NFS etc.) is being used? Back up software is another question that's not related to the first. NAS simply refers to a storage device that can be accessed over the network. Linux can talk to most, if not all.
Hi.
I come from requirement aspect to technology solutions, not coming from technology preference to solutions. That means, if the solution works, and easy to get it up running (I also need to care for other OpenSuSE users who are novice, and they probably need to get it running without me being there). That means, anything (smb, nfs, rsync over ssh, apple file sharing protocol, webDAV ....) whatever technology, if it works, we will use it.
Zhang, If you already have a linux box running and it has adequate disk space, that is all you need. You don't need *any* additional NAS hardware. The simple solution is to (1) make sure the $ms machines are set up to "share" the directories where the novice users store their data; (2) on the linux box, set up a directory or directories where you wish to store the data that is to be backed up; (3) for backup purposes, from the linux box either simply create mount points for the $ms machines and "mount.cifs //windows_box/windows_share -o user=theuser,password=thepassword the windows shares, *or* just use rsync or your favorite backup (see (4) below) (4) (see the thread "[opensuse] Suggestions for backup software?" 3/30/2008) and select and configure your favorite backup method; and (5) automate it with cron or whatever is provided with the backup software you choose, and you are done. If you don't have the storage space required on the linux box, then a pair of 500G sata drives setup in software raid will cost ~$180. Far cheaper than a $400 NAS. -- David C. Rankin, J.D., P.E. Rankin Law Firm, PLLC 510 Ochiltree Street Nacogdoches, Texas 75961 Telephone: (936) 715-9333 Facsimile: (936) 715-9339 www.rankinlawfirm.com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
participants (4)
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Dave Howorth
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David C. Rankin
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James Knott
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Zhang Weiwu