systematic backups in Linux?

[Tony Baechler]

Karen Lewellen wrote:
> So, I realize the time is coming for me to set up an alternative 
> backup of my own.
> Having this Linux box built has been slower than planned, I do not 
> even have access to a cd burner yet. However I am wondering if there 
> is a Linux utility that will let me make scheduled backups from my 
> shellworld space to my Linux machine via ftp? If so, in which 
> distribution?



Hi,

Is there any reason why it has to be ftp? I personally use rsync and 
recommend it. It only downloads what's changed, so you don't have to get 
the same files over and over. It has a switch to use compression, but 
that won't help with mp3 files. There is nothing that rsync can't do. It 
runs great on Windows if you need something temporarily until your Linux 
box is working. Just use something like at (1) or cron to set this up 
automatically. Practically any good distro will have rsync and cron, and 
I know Debian for sure has at. If you absolutely must use ftp, that 
won't work and I don't know of any solution since ftp isn't designed to 
just download differences. You could use ncftpget and ncftpput but that 
transfers everything over and over.