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When was the last time you backed up your data?
Today is the official yearly reminder to quit procrastinating and save all that precious electronic media that you can’t imagine living without… but haven’t backed up since… well, it’s been a few days… or weeks… or…
Because, seriously, if you can’t remember how long it’s been, it might as well have not happened since this time last year!
Let’s go and do it!
If backing up data is not already a part of your (daily/weekly/hourly) routine, it should be.
Previously, I have talked about creating a backup process, and how double/triple/off-site backups can be lifesavers.
What I’m going to talk about today is how you can make backups, specifically from the Linux command line.
If you’re still backing up by copying and pasting files around in the GUI, or even by using tar, cp, dump or restore from the command line, you’re missing out.
It is my firm belief that everyone needs a good, solid backup plan.
Whether that plan involves backing up on an hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly basis, depends only on how much you want to lose.
Prior to developing good backup habits, the process can sound a bit daunting, but I can assure you that the result is worth the effort!
Anyone who has ever lost data, either due to the lack of a backup or a failed backup process, will know exactly what I mean.
Everyone else — well, allow me to spare you that particularly painful learning experience and the stroke that it can cause.