backup procedures

[Derek E. Terveer]

In article <101 at k0jfv.UUCP>, alan at k0jfv.UUCP (Al Kiecker) writes:
> I would like to be able to do some sort of selective backup: 

Tar or cpio are probably pretty good choices.

> 	- why backup what is on your distribution disks? 

If you get updates to the distribution software, you'll want those backed up.
It may be simply too much trouble to sort out exactly what is on the
distribution vs. user's files, your additions, your mods (to the dist software,
for example, /etc/passwd), etc.  Its easier to just back up the whole kit and
kaboodle (in general).  Also distribution diskettes *can* go bad -- just like
any other disk.

> 	- what sort of disaster could befall me if I don't backup 
> 	  /usr/spool/news/...? 

Generally, just a loss of the current news articles for your site and any down-
stream sites, if any.

> 	- or why backup something if I have it on a previous backup 
> 	  and I have not modified it since then?

Thats why you can perform an incremental save.  Once every so often, be it a
week (like lily and herman) or once a month (or once every two years like alta
and bigsky) do a FULL save which saves everything.  Then, every day or every
few days, do an INCREMENTAL save which saves everything that has changed since
the fullsave.  You can do this with a command *like* the following:

$ find / -newer full_save_time -print|cpio -ocvadm >/dev/rdsk/fd0

> What is cpio asking for when it gets to the end of a floppy and asks
> "If you want to go on, type device/file name when ready" ? Why can't
> it just ask you to put in a new floppy and then continue?

It *is* asking you to put in a new floppy.  But cpio is more flexible than you
think.  What if you have >1 floppy drive?  (what if you had 5 floppy drives or
perhaps 3 tape drives???), then if you want to ready your second floppy in
drive #1 while the floppy in drive #0 is being written, you can do so.  When it
prompts you, you enter the device name of floppy #1 and off it goes (with
floppy #1).  Then while its writing floppy#1, you ready floppy #0 and enter
that drive name at the prompt when its requests you to do so.
Cpio will work with tape drives, etc., not just floppies, albeit you only have
a floppy on your system -- some systems do have >1 floppy in their peripheral
set (:-)

> Can tar be used?
yes.

> I don't think volcopy will give me the selection capability that I want.

no, it won't.  volcopy does a literal fs copy.

derek
-- 
Derek Terveer		det at hawkmoon.MN.ORG
			w(612)681-6986	h(612)688-0667

"A proper king is crowned" -- Thomas B. Costain