BackupPC Setup with rsync for Linux

This how-to explains how to set up BackupPC for Linux clients using the rsync transfer option.

Pre-requisites

• Linux
• ssh and rsync (you probably have both pre-installed)
• IP address
• List of folders you want backed up OR...
• List of folders you don't want backed up
• ~15-20 min of your time

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Regular User or Root Privilege?

Other than typing in username + password, you can connect 2 computers with SSH by using SSH keys. This is the preferred method for BackupPC because the backup process will be seemless, not having to ask for the password. Yet it is still as secure (if not more) as the password method. To do set this up, you need to have the server's public SSH key stored on your computer and your computer's public key stored on the server. You can choose to either have BackupPC only back up your home directory or have BackupPC back up some of the non-home directory stuff. Here are some cons and pros.

1. Home directory only
   • Pros - BackupPC will only have the regular user privilege. In the improbable scenario in which the backup server is broken into, the bad guys will not be able to break into your computer from there.
   • Cons - BackupPC will NOT be able to do a system backup / restoration. Also it may regualarly send error messages if there is anything in your home directory that does not belong to the user.
2. Root privilege method
   • Pros - BackupPC will be able to back up / restore any files / folders in your computer.
   • Cons - BackupPC will have root privilege. In the improbable scenario in which the backup server is broken into, the bad guys may find the way (SSH key) to break into your computer from there and do damage.

Please choose:

1. Home directory only
2. Root privilege method

BackupPC Manual Start Page

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2 Responses

1. BackupPC Setup Manual « Junji’s Blog Site Says:
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