I am trying to create a full backup and then restore of my Linux firewall.
Anyone know the best way to do this?

Mike

Uh, depends on your ultimate objective, but you may not need to do a complete backup.

If you're looking to switch boxes, just move the hard drive and get the drivers for your new hardware (you'd have to do that anyway).

If your fw files have been corrupted and you need to reinstall - you definitely don't want a backup and restore.  Save your config (and log) files (a floppy should do this nicely), reinstall the s/w and restore your config files.  Or you could save your files to a network drive.

If you're wanting to set this up on another box (just like yours), again, save the config files and install on that box and restore the files.

If you're wanting to figure out how to burn CDs, I'd pick something besides my firewall to practice with.

If you're wanting to move your entire system (or even just your data) to a new box (or drive) and set the old one up as a fw, with the old hdd in the fw box, I'd try to find a utility similar to Symantec's Ghost utility.  Clone the drive, remove everything but the fw s/w and go with it.  I know that Ghost will clone across a network.  It's slower, but it will do it.

But all of this is primarily because
(1) I haven't taken the time to figure out burning CDs;
(2) I don't even want to think about backing up my entire system AND data on CDs;
(3) I have no tape drive to even know how to use; and
(4) I tend to spend a lot of time trying to figure a way around a problem instead of through it.  Just my $.02.  Essentially, tho' I'd find some way to not back up the whole system.  Back up the data and any config/install files you need to and start with a fresh install of the OS.  I know Linux isn't as messy as M$ products, but I still like to do "Spring cleaning" periodically.

Gary

Thanks for all the ideas ---
I'm a systems admin at a company which is rapidly moving to linux, with no budget for training, and plenty of old boxes laying around.  Even though I can set one of these older boxes in two to three hours, these cheapo's will want one up in 5 to 10 minutes.

Other than having a redundant backup available, in the three years of running such machines two things always go: your HD and your net cards. If I could ghost the hard drive, and keep it in there, a simple switch over and ssh in can update the config, and major problem solved.

Thanks again,

Mike

Have a Linux Issue?
Do you have a Linux Question?

Linux Home: Linux System Administration Hints and Tips