[rdiff-backup-users] Re:rdiff-backup for "hot" and "cold" backups of home directories, (Louis-Dominique Dubeau)

[Richard Chapman]

Hi Louis

Have you considered using Logical Volume Management "Snapshot volumes" 
to make you "hot" backups (arguably) totally reliable?

The pre-requisites are that you are backing up data on an LVM volume 
using a suitable file-system, and that there is a little unallocated 
space in you LVM system. I achieved this in a fairly standard Centos 
installation by reducing the size of my swap volume. You can then create 
a snapshot volume before starting your backup. You then get a "point in 
time" image of your "hot" system from the snapshot volume. Once the 
backup is complete - you can delete the snapshot volume. This technology 
is independent of your backup software, but I understand the "soon to be 
released" version of rsnapshot has some built in support for LVM snapshots.

As far as I can see - putting the laptops into standby would not 
preclude a consistent backup - providing it eventually completes.

I used to use the windows "Volume Shadow Copy" which is similar 
technology. Both are absolutely marvellous IMHO.

Richard.