Homedir backup (was Re: "Stateless Linux" project)

Erik LaBianca erik at totalcirculation.com
Wed Sep 15 18:47:31 UTC 2004



> -----Original Message-----
> From: fedora-devel-list-bounces at redhat.com [mailto:fedora-devel-list-
> bounces at redhat.com] On Behalf Of Carwyn Edwards
> Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 2:15 PM
> To: Development discussions related to Fedora Core
> Subject: Re: Homedir backup (was Re: "Stateless Linux" project)
> 
> 
> <summary>Stuff about identifying which network we are on to see if we
> want to do backup.</summary>
> 
> If I'm away at a conference with my laptop and they have WiFi access
to
> the internet, I don't care which network I am on. I still want to back
> up my home directory though.
> 

I've got concur and say for homedir backup, the obvious solution is
allowing the user to enable and disable it easily. I like the idea of a
taskbar throbber applet, and I'd like to easily be able to run some sort
of command to enable backups, backup now, and disable backups as well.
Right-click menu options on the throbber or whatever would be nice too.

Automatically determining the state based on the network is easily
solved once the basics are there. I currently have no easy and efficient
solution to backup up my home directory on a stateful machine and sync
it back, so I'd prefer to see that happen first.

I think the place to tackle this stuff first for both the home directory
and system configuration aspects is with regard to choosing files to
backup intelligently. Someone pointed out that their rpm folder is
monstrous. Mine is too, as are bunches of other folders floating through
my home directory and system. Perhaps a simple standardized home
directory layout is in order.

For instance:
One might have a ~/tmp into which ~/rpm/BUILD and other junk
accumulators would be linked. It would have a no-backup policy. Then
perhaps a ~/static or some such where one could put their music files,
movie rips, ~/rpm/SRPMS, random tarball downloads, fedora install tree
mirrors, or whatever else they might be hauling around that never
changes. Such a folder could (and should) have a different (lower
priority, server-wins?) sync policy than, for instance ~/Maildir (high
priority, last update wins?). 

I realize rsync exclude lists can work around more complex layouts, but
I think the idea here is to automate and simplify. In addition, I want
2-way sync on at least some part of my home directory. Splitting it up
into a few different policies makes automated sync conflict resolution
easier.

Anyway, just another $0.02.






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