[Discuss] full disk backups

[eric.chadbourne at icloud.com (Eric Chadbourne)]

> On Aug 17, 2019, at 2:02 PM, Dan Ritter <dsr at randomstring.org> wrote:
> 
> Eric Chadbourne wrote: 
>> 
>> I've been using Kali Linux Light for my daily driver.  Works great.  However I need to make full disk backups and be able to recover since this is used for work.  I'm always screwing with it and if it's broken I'm not getting paid those hours.
>> 
>> Any recommendations for something to use for a full disk backup and easy recovery?  My first thought was dd or rsync.  However Clonezilla looks pretty cool.  I remember years back one of their devs being on the BLU email list.
>> 
> 
> Several options.
> 
> 1. dd
>    pro: simple, guaranteed to copy all state
>    con: guaranteed to read and write all state
> 
> 2. rsync
>    pro: reasonably simple, restartable, more efficient than dd
>    con: lots of small files make it slow
> 
> 3. rsnapshot
>    pro: reasonably simple, enforces cron usage, built on rsync,
>         multiple snapshots possible
>    con: same as rsync, plus multiple snapshots can make things
>         messy
> 
> 4. use ZFS
>    pro: lightweight snapshots, zfssend/zfsrecv
>    con: not simple to set up
> 
> 5. buy another machine and stop futzing with your work machine
>    pro: work machine remains stable, damage from futzing
>         limited to other machine
>    con: potentially expensive
> 
> I have used all of these techniques.
> 
> -dsr-

Nice overview.  Thanks DSR.  I can't afford #5 right now.  New apartment, bills, etc.

Well after what you and Kent said I'm going to try rsync right now with USB 3 external drive.  See how long it takes and if I can boot from it.

Great suggestions!

Eric Chadbourne
https://never.blue/