Too often people learn that their backup either wasnt working, or it 'missed' the important files etc. And *when* they learn this .. is usually NOT at a good point in time ;-/
Today, I am going to remind everyone - Check your backups! Verify that you can restore several files from several locations to a NEW location. (yes - you should know how to do that!)
You *should* do this every so often, and I personally remind my clients that twice a year is 6 months apart, and can they afford to go that long not knowing?
Today, I have had the need to go back to a file that was modified in April of this year, and while I was restoring that file, I restored several other files from a few different places. Then a few more from a different location, and different point in time. And then compared them all to verify that all was good. And, happy to report - all good! (And, I have recovered the file that I needed as well. )
Time WELL SPENT! And I have set a reminder 2 months from now to do this check again.
Verify those backups!
Verify those backups!
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*Linux -This is the way!
*MXPI = MX Package Installer
*Please check the solved checkbox on the post that solved it.
*Linux -This is the way!
Re: Verify those backups!
"Backups are not backups unless you have tested restoring from them", you don't want write-only backups...
Re: Verify those backups!
Saturdays is second level BackInTime and (Timeshift on different schedule) MX Snapshot with MX Live usb Maker
Sunday mornings is test Live usb OKed then reboot into system only a few minutes work, one less set of worries.
Sunday mornings is test Live usb OKed then reboot into system only a few minutes work, one less set of worries.
" Outside the square , inside the cube "
Re: Verify those backups!
So true. :-)
There is just a couple of things I want to add to this discussion.
There are some advanced backup programs and a lot of people likes them and that is okay.
I just don't trust them and therefore I stopped using them so many years ago I never even tested any in Linux.
It is an attitude I can afford because my amount of users and data in the daily backup is small.
I just let Thunar show hidden files and copy ~/* except ~/.local and ~/.cache
And that gives me a lot more data than I ever want to restore.
Putting the backup on some different compatible external drives (the more the better) is very important.
I don't do backup after a timetable, I only do it when everything runs well, and I know there are added or changed so much data that it would make me fell too bad if I lost it. It can be four times a day or once a month depending on the work.
If I just do the backup blindfolded after a timetable and I hit a moment when everything is not okay, then the backup might not be okay either, and that can be a real disaster if it is the only backup I have to restore.
When I do a full restore it is never really full. I install MX and restore only the few folders and files I need and want and no more.
In my world this complete restore test is the only test reliable enough to test the backup system.
But when that is done I don't think there is a big need for testing restore of a single file once a week.
Of course something can go wrong with the drive but I can't prevent that by testing. I can't prevent a flat tire by driving.
However if you want to rely on a smart complicated backup program I guess you better do a full restore test on a spare computer every time a program has been updated. ;-)
There is just a couple of things I want to add to this discussion.
There are some advanced backup programs and a lot of people likes them and that is okay.
I just don't trust them and therefore I stopped using them so many years ago I never even tested any in Linux.
It is an attitude I can afford because my amount of users and data in the daily backup is small.
I just let Thunar show hidden files and copy ~/* except ~/.local and ~/.cache
And that gives me a lot more data than I ever want to restore.
Putting the backup on some different compatible external drives (the more the better) is very important.
I don't do backup after a timetable, I only do it when everything runs well, and I know there are added or changed so much data that it would make me fell too bad if I lost it. It can be four times a day or once a month depending on the work.
If I just do the backup blindfolded after a timetable and I hit a moment when everything is not okay, then the backup might not be okay either, and that can be a real disaster if it is the only backup I have to restore.
When I do a full restore it is never really full. I install MX and restore only the few folders and files I need and want and no more.
In my world this complete restore test is the only test reliable enough to test the backup system.
But when that is done I don't think there is a big need for testing restore of a single file once a week.
Of course something can go wrong with the drive but I can't prevent that by testing. I can't prevent a flat tire by driving.
However if you want to rely on a smart complicated backup program I guess you better do a full restore test on a spare computer every time a program has been updated. ;-)