Fedora backups/snapshots

Site Development Guide Suggestions
1

Can anyone recommend an easy way to setup backups and system snapshots in Fedora?

I’ve successfully used Deja Dup for data backups, so I’ve pretty much got that part licked, although I’m open to recommendations.

System snapshots are harder. I tried using Timeshift, but it seems that you have to tweak the file system a bit to get it working with BTRFS.

I’ve also tried using Timeshift with rsync (not BTRFS) snapshots. I was able to take the snapshots, but when I went to restore one, I got an error message that said restoration could only be done on a Ubuntu-like machine with @ and @home subvolumes, or something to that effect.

I’ve also tried setting up BTRBK with this guide: Willi Mutschler/

But I got lost in the separate instructions for an internal vs external drive. I think that’s too much command line for a moron like me. :grin:

I really wish there were a simple GUI tool that could handle this.

Anyhow, thanks in advance for any advice!

2

Anyone? Beuller? :grin:

3

We are looking at some suggestions there Add a knowledgebase article for backups · Issue #1740 · privacyguides/privacyguides.org · GitHub.

What I would probably do is use something like duplicity or DejaDup (which has a flatpak and do a backup to an external hard drive or server or something.

You could also look at doing btrfs snapshots:

4

The backup proposal in the PG Github was closed as not planned

I think because content pertaining to backups has been frequently requested but not implemented yet, the team may be encouraging us to write about it in the wiki.

5

Moved topic to Site Development > Guide Suggestions as this thread doesn’t have a specific tool in mind.

I wouldn’t rule this out as rejected, but indeed this would be a great candidate for Community Wiki if anyone has experience they’d like to share.

6

Most people have data backups. Those are easy.

System backups are varied and complex depending on many factors:

  1. partition layout, which can differ from one LTS version to the next
  2. volume manager such as BTRFS, LVM, ZFS, which should also be used to create snapshots to backup
  3. file system such as EXT4, etcetera
  4. FVE (Full Volume Encryption) such as dmcrypt-LUKS, etcetera, which can also affect partition layout, and the requirement to maintain decryption keys to assure restoration

I use Linux Mint (Ubuntu-based Cinnamon Edition), and I can offer some backup assistance of the following:

  1. dmcrypt-LUKS FVE of root and swap (installer takes care of those basics)
  2. LVM volumes containing root (installer takes care of that), but I can add details of taking volume snapshots for atomic / point-in-time backups
  3. EXT4 (installer takes care of the basics)

FVE throws additional complexity requiring that you either learn to back up and restore the encryption key, or lazily do like I did and take a “dd” image of the initial install of the operating system including that key and all its dependencies. For example, a “dd” image of a 1 TB drive consumes only about 30 GB compressed. That plus par2 parity archives will fit nicely on a BD-R DL if you wish.

On a monthly basis, I will take a backup of each system. My script uses “dd” to image the non-LVM partitions to files on root, creates an LVM snapshot of root, backs up the snapshot of root using “duplicity” (compressed and encrypted), and using “SSHFS” (SFTP) sends it to my NAS. After the “duplicity” backup is completed, par2 archives are created of the backup.

From the NAS, the “duplicity” backups are then copied to various offsite locations.

Restoration works in reverse:

  1. restore the full “dd” image of the original operating system install
  2. restore the partition images
  3. restore the duplicity backup

If anyone is interested, I can share details.