[cobalt-users] Backup -Raq4r - rsync, raqbackup, afio..

[Jim Dory <jdory@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm seeking just a bit of clarification for my muddy mind:

I'm starting to get a bit paranoid as my raqs age.. I'm looking at 
backup solutions to help me feel comfortable that I have the things 
backed up properly. I have one raq as a web/email server for our 
organization, and one as a file share/dhcp/intranet stuff. I have a 
whitebox SuSe configured as a backup server with a 40/80 DLT tape 
machine connected.

Right now I have the pretty much default raqbackup.sh working on the two 
raqs, saving their backups nightly to the backup server. Basically 
TARSDIR="/etc/named" and CMUDIR="/home/cmu" for the web/email server and 
for the fileshare server I have those as well as some samba user 
directories.

It doesn't look like I am backing up any system files with this.. poking 
around in the tar'ed files with mc, I don't see them. So I'm looking at 
how to do this. I have ssh RSA key authentication installed and working, 
I have rsync working on the fileshare server (because a directory was 
too large for raqbackup.. it would choke and fail if I included it) so 
that is an additional tool. I have afio installed on all, and could use 
it for backing up to the tape. (Right now it is all by hand). I also 
have flexbackup installed on the backup server.

So I guess the question revolves around how to do a complete system 
backup once in awhile, and nightly user data/logs file backups.
(Should I add /var/logs/ to raqbackup for nightlies of those?)

I've been looking at this awhile and I'm not clear on whether I can just 
do a
"rsync /" or
"flexbackup -fs all" or
"find . | afio -ovZ /dev/tape"  or not.
I'm not sure how that works with running processes like mysql and all 
(which should be backed up with raqbackup) or if I need to shut down 
stuff first. Not even sure what questions to ask <grin>.

I've got lots of docs on this stuff but having a hard making it gel.

Anyone care to comment - I would greatly appreciate help?

--
Jim D