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IBackup for UNIX and Linux using rsync

IBackup now supports backups for Unix and Linux based computers using rsync, the open source utility that provides fast incremental transfers. rsync does this by sending just the differences in the files across the internet, without requiring that both sets of files are present at one of the ends of the link beforehand. This will dramatically reduce the time involved in incremental backups.


 How to use rsync with IBackup

In order to use this powerful utility with your IBackup account, please follow these steps:

  • Install rsync, if it is not already installed on your UNIX or Linux computer from rsync's website: http://rsync.samba.org

  • To backup a directory to your ibackup account, run the following command from the shell:

    $ rsync -r -v -z -t <your_directory> <ibackup username>@rsync.ibackup.com::ibackup

    For example, to backup the directory /home/data to your IBackup account with the username say john, you would run:

    $ rsync -r -v -z -t /home/mydata john@rsync.ibackup.com::ibackup

    You will be prompted for your IBackup password, Enter your IBackup Password. 

  • If you do not wish to be prompted for a password, you may set the following shell variable to your IBackup password and run the rsync command:

    $ export RSYNC_PASSWORD=<your ibackup password>

  • Connections through rsync are not secure by default. However, you may secure your rsync connection to IBackup using SSL by running stunnel.

    Run Stunnel on your UNIX or linux server:

    $ stunnel -c -d localhost:2000 -r rsync.ibackup.com:5000

    and then run rsync through your local stunnel to encrypt the connection to IBackup using SSL.

    $ rsync -r -v -z -t /home/mydata john@localhost::ibackup --port=2000

    While you may use any port for your localhost instead of 2000, you need to use port 5000 for the remote stunnel connection to IBackup's rsync server.

    If you are behind a firewall, setup your firewall to allow port 5000.

    If you use /etc/hosts.allow method to control IPs that have access to certain services on your linux server, make sure you add an entry as follows:
    ALL: 127.0.0.1

  • You may also schedule rsync to run on a regular basis using cron, the standard scheduler for UNIX.

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