Back In Time - a simple backup system for Linux (Page 1 of 1)
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tinnitus
Posted on: Apr 22, 2009 at 02:36pm
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Back In Time - a simple backup system for Linux
Back In time (BIT) is a GUI backup application for GNOME and KDE4 Desktop Environment., written in python and uses rysnc. Installation procedure as outlined below is simple and error free for a Debian 5.0 Lenny Operating System. I do not use KDE and see no reason why BIT operation would not enjoy the same simple functionality and user friendless that GNOME does. The author Opera Dan comments that he wrote BIT as a Linux equivalent of Apple's TimeMachine. BIT real magic is done by rsync, diff and cp the snaphot/restore, diff – changes since last rsync and cp make hardlinks.
* BIT user Mode provides the means to backup/restore any selected directories
* Snapshot – a picture of selected files within the selected directories container
* Restore – develop the picture of the current snapshot into selected directories
BIT web site for download and installation instructions http://backintime.le-web.org/, or you can jump to the download link here.
If you want to do a Debian Base install from a terminal as root,
* add to /etc/apt/sources .list
* deb http://le-web.org/repository stable main
* to add the GPG key,
* wget http://le-web.org/repository/le-web.ke
* apt-key add le-web.ke
* or if you are not root yet,
* sudo apt-key add le-web.ke
* Gnome Install,
* sudo apt-get update
* sudo apt-get install backintime-common backintime-gnome
No problem were encounter using the above procedure OS Debian 5.0
BIT can be added to Nautilus as an action item, if you do not have nautilus action installed and want to use it, open a terminal
sudo aptitude install nautilus-actions
Once installed goto System - Preferences- Nautilus Actions Configuration
Select Add, then Add to Menu Item & Action
Label – Open with Back in time
* Icon – gtk-save
* Path -backintime
* %M
Click Condition Tab - In Appears if selection contains, set it to both.
Advanced Conditions Tab, check the file box.
Then close. Backintime is added to nautilus as a right click option.
BIT available to Nautilus right click context menu.
BIT is at Applications – System tools, two icons, one for root.
When opened the application setting screen appears,
Where to save snapshots can be set to your folder of choice, backup is a good one.
Schedule has a few choices, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, daily etc. This auto-feature requires CRON it must be running.
Include Tab will add directories that require backup. Directories are select one at a time. A remove button is also available.
Exclude Tab - files within the include directory setting may be exclude or patterns. e.g why backup Open Office Backup files or as for me I backup all my Internet Chess Games – these games have to be placed in a directory set by the Chess program within that same directory is the main chess game database it will only change with the next release – it is a huge database and BIT would have backed it up if it have not been excluded.
Auto-remove Tab – does exactly what the name applies. Am amazing option the only cost of usage is disk space – remember snaps can be placed on removal media. Why delete snapshots when can save them using the options available and go back in time to recover something lost. When I first saw this option and started to tinker with it, I installed BIT on my main system with great ideas for this 3 hard Drive rig.
The remaining tow Tabs , like the other BIT setting these options are easy to understand which is a big plus in any application, for a at home backup system BIT should meet most home users needs. It will be interesting to see what others have to say regarding BIT deployment on more work horse rigs.
BIT Main Window
Main Window , provides many options but not too many to be overwhelming, an easy navigation and browsing function which is simple and clear. BIT help section is helpful and gets to the point quickly.
Command line backintime --gnome
* BIT operates in user mode if you require root, su, gksu or kdesudo is required.
* –gnome: use GNOME GUI (if installed)
* –kde4: use KDE4 GUI (if installed)
* path: go directly to the specified file or directory
* -s, –snapshots: go directly to Snapshots Dialogs
* -b, –backup: take a snapshot now (if needed)
* –backup-job - take a snapshot (if needed) depending on schedule rules (used for cron jobs).
* -v, –version: show version and exit
* -h, –help: show a small help and exit
* New shots are only taken if different from the current set snapshot.
* Same applies to automatic backup.
* BIT does not backup to cd/dvd media (If it can, I did not see that option?)but the snapshots can be copied to such media.
* A scandisk may be used as a backup source or target.
* Your backup directory cannot exist in your backup to directory.
* e.g. Target /home/username/keep/backup.
* e.g. Source /home/username/keep.
* BIT will not allow source and target to exist within the same directory.
* You can use restore to restore a single file or directory within the snapshot container. To restore the complete container mouse over the snapshot directory then click restore.
* BIT acts in a user mode – you can backup and restore directories that you have write access to. It is possible to backup but not restore directories read-only directories. Hmm., you can if you want to, but why would you want to.
BIT test drive,
BIT backup directory is empty expect for a couple files placed there by the application. This is done as soon as you choose the directory for backups and add it to the BIT settings, a directory exist there which has an padlock placed on the Icon.
You can browse inside this directory which contains 6 other directories.
The BIT backup directory,
The test directory contains one item placed there by BIT, size is 6 bytes. I will place a few files inside, .deb, bookmark.html, address book, a couple image files and family photos.
The snapshot took a picture of the directory and took approximately 7 seconds to backup 16 items, 14.4.MB
Backup directory after snapshot, as shown below. The directory now contains 22 items totaling 14.4 MB
I deleted the files in the directory BIT took a snapshot of and clicked the restore button and almost instantly all the files were restored, I opened all the files and they were perfect.
Test two,
A larger selection of files were chosen and a term window open to do a 32mb update.
Total shot time 129.4 MB, 795 items, 40 seconds. Restored almost instantly.
Here is one of those read-only directories that you can backup but not restore. You can but why?
BIT is certainly on my favorite application list and I will be making use of it. As previously mentioned BIT is simple to use and has user friendless written all over it, it may be simple, but that by no means means it is not full of features or powerful. Installation is easy for Debian base systems and GNOME environments, initial setup is not overwhelming or lengthy requiring only what is require to provide a great backup tools. The main interface only requires a few clicks to get the job done, single files or whole directories can be restored or backup with a single mouse click. BIT can be used at command line interface.
A Great tool.
Article sources taken from BIT web site, help section and users observation.
(jinkpen) at (telus dot net)
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