Remote Backup Procedure

[timwiel]

After reading The Most Important Post Ever » Zimbra :: Blog I would like to setup remote network backups however information is rather lacking.

What is the official Zimbra stance on this and is there a howto. I have found information on fuse(sshfs) backups here - FYI: ZCS NE backup to fuse/sshfs mount, worked.

Is this recommended practice or not - and if so why is it not in the Zimbra Wiki?

How would one go about restoring from a offsite backup.

Currently we are doing backups via rsync to a removable ext3 formated harddrive as per the open source edition recommended way (ie hot sync then shutdown zimbra and cold sync).

Zimbra Version: 5.0.8_GA_2462.UBUNTU6.NETWORK 9 Jul, 2008

[timwiel]

bump - anyone gonna answer this

[dspillett]

Originally Posted by timwiel

Zimbra Version: 5.0.8_GA_2462.UBUNTU6.NETWORK 9 Jul, 2008

As you are using the network edition there is a local backup facility built in. I don't know, as I'm a FOSS version user, but I'm guessing this is automated (i.e. can do daily/weekly/whateverly backups without admin intervention).

For off-site backups, can you not just rsync (or what-ever technique you use for backing up other systems/data) the resulting files to the external location?

[timwiel]

Originally Posted by dspillett

As you are using the network edition there is a local backup facility built in.

yes there is a built in backup facility but it only backs up locally - this is my problem - what if the server goes on fire or hard drives fail.

Originally Posted by dspillett

For off-site backups, can you not just rsync (or what-ever technique you use for backing up other systems/data) the resulting files to the external location?

Rsync is fine however the zimbra utility backups are date stamped into a folder so every 7 days or so we get a 15 GB chuck to transfer across the internet. Monthly ISP bills would go through the roof!!!

Currently we have implimented the open source rsync method and excluding the /opt/zimbra/backup directory for data usage sake. Seems the zimbra backup utility is a waste of time if you can't backup remotely. Defeats the purpose of backups doesn't it.