[ale] on-line storage (was: Recommendation for off-line storage?)

[Greg Freemyer]

On 5/11/06, Robert Story <rstory-l at 2006.revelstone.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 10 May 2006 16:15:03 -0400 Jim wrote:
> JP> On a similar note.. anybody have any good recommendations for remote
> JP> on-line backup (approx 12GB).
>
> Sure - make a local copy to a disk/NAS, then send it to a friend/relative. The
> disk works if they're computer savy, and the NAS is better if they aren't. You
> may also have to spring for a hub/multi-port router for the NAS case.
>
> Of course, if you have lots of daily data changes, bandwidth might become an
> issue.
>
> As an incentive to your friends/family, set up a local share and sync that
> back to your place. Then you both have on-line backups.
>
>
> There are also some online pay services as well. There's also on that works
> on a barter system: you give them space on your system to store
> (fragments of) other peoples stuff, and you get distributed online space in
> return. I think it was 10:1, so you'd need 120GB of free local space to get
> your 12GB stored free.

rdiff-backup (GPL code) uses rsync/ssh type technologies to do remote
backups and reduce that 10:1 significantly.  Its a command line tool,
so you invoke it from cron.

It keeps a current copy of your files and a series of diffs to get
back to older versions.

IIRC, to get a one diff old version, the tool automatically restores
the most recently backed up version and then applies a single diff.
Not too bad.

To get to a version 60 diffs ago, I believe it has to apply all 60
diffs.  ie. the diffs are incremental and you have to have them all.

Greg
-- 
Greg Freemyer
The Norcross Group
Forensics for the 21st Century