Re: [Hampshire] Big home backups

lug@??? wrote:
> Hi all
>
> [Webmail message so hope it looks ok for you]
>
> I'm looking for a home backup option. The amount of data I have is ~100Gb - quite a bit for a home user I know - but I have a young daughter and we've gone photo and video mad since she arrived. Those of you who are parents will, I'm sure, sympathise!
>
> What I need the list's advice on is the method of making the backup. For example, I'd be happy to buy a portable HDD and keep it at work (or at home in a fireproof safe). Trouble is - how do I prevent someone at work plugging this (the HDD not the fireproof safe!) into a laptop and getting at my files? I have nothing to hide - but by the same token I don't want my accounts etc being made public knowledge.
>
> I realise I could just compress the lot into one archive with a strong password and copy that file over but is that really secure enough?
>
> The same applies with online backup services - you upload the file/files but how sure are you that a bored online backup sysadmin is going to find it impossible to get in?
>
> I presume (showing my ignorance) that I could create an encrypted FS on the USB HDD but I've no experience here.
>
> Am I on the right lines or are there better / simpler solutions? Being a home user, I obviously favour the one-off USB HDD to the monthly contract of an online backup.
>
> Cheers
> Rob
>

I can really only repeat most of the advice given:

* Backup to two or more different storage mediums (DVD, HDD, USB Flash
Drive, off-site backup/VPS etc.)
* Backup to two or more locations, preferably far enough apart that they
won't be affected by the same disaster (flood, fire etc.)
* Encrypt all backups that are not in a physically secure location,
using strong encryption and strong keys (and keep the keys safe).
* Check your backups regularly. For example you could restore your
files somewhere and compare with your real files using something like
md5sum.
* Carry your most important data with you on an encrypted water-proof
USB stick on your keyring, if you are really paranoid.

Take a look at LUKS for disk encryption.

Something as simple as rsync can be used for backing up your files to a
disk. You can always put it in a cron job.

Look at incremental backup software such as rsnapshot if you buy a large
USB HDD (one much larger than your files need). You can then have a
record of your file changes in case you overwrite a file and don't
notice for a week or a month. Normal backups would simply overwrite the
good backup and the file would be lost.

Hope this helps,

Simon