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List:       amanda-hackers
Subject:    Re: Proposal: Specification of Backup Time Range Per Disklist entry
From:       <sam () xpedion ! com>
Date:       2001-08-28 20:11:53
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On Tue, 28 Aug 2001, Mitch Collinsworth wrote:
> > Alternative #1:
> >
> > 1. Add a fourth field to each disklist entry which specifies a range
> > of hours during which the entry may be backed up.  For example:
>
> This syntax looks like a problem since there are already optional
> 4th and 5th fields in disklist syntax:
>
> from examples/disklist:
>
> # File format is:
> #
> #	hostname diskdev dumptype [spindle [interface]]
> #
>
> The same idea could maybe be accomplished by putting the time into
> the dumptype definition.

Ooooo... I like this idea a lot better.  That way you can just create a
laptop dumptype and associate them all with it.  Good call.

> > 2. Create a small utility program, or modify amdump, to check the
> > disklist file and initiate backups where appropriate.  This program
> > could either be written to run continuously, polling every n seconds,
> > or be run via cron.
>
> Something along these lines has been suggested in the past, and makes
> good sense to me.  The issue you identified with holding disk space
> management is one to think about.  My initial reaction is to think that
> anyone who wants to do daytime dumps to holding disk and not flush then
> to tape until the big night-time server run had better just plan ahead
> and put in lots of holding disk space.  Disk is so cheap compared to
> tape that this should not be an impediment.

That was my thought.  This is the first time I've looked into the state of
backup systems, and my first observation was that tape tech has fallen far
behind drive tech.  I don't know if you saw my other note, but I'm going
to put a proposal up later this week about backing up to other devices
besides tape (such as harddrives).

> > Alternative #2:
> >
> > Add a command line option to amdump to specify which disklist entry to
> > backup.  Then do all time specification via cron.
>
> I guess I like Alternative #1 better.
>
> Thinking about this a bit more, here's another possibility.  How about
> providing support for client-initiated dumps?  Then when the laptop gets
> plugged in it can notify amanda that it's online and available for
> backing up.  This could be via an inetd service or possibly a long-running
> server.  Once notified amanda could initiate the backup as it normally
> does.

I am going to put up a proposal about this as well, later this week.  My
idea, as i mention in my other note, is to see which one people are the
most interested in and do it first.

> Another thing to add to the "how do we handle this?" list is planning
> of dump levels.  Surely it's doable, but it will require some thought.

This is too complicated for my primitive caveman intellect.  :-)

  - Sam

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