Skip to main content

Backup & Restore Data And Files Easily With Back In Time [Linux]


Regular backup of data and files is an absolute must as you might have read a number of times here. Rsync, being the versatile file copy utility that it is, has been the ultimate backup tool for Linux geeks. However, using rsync from the command line is not what you would call a stroll in the park. There are more options than you can shake a stick at, the switches are cryptic, on top of that you are never really sure which one to use until you have goofed up and learnt it the hard way!
The other day, we showed you Grsync, which provides a frontend to the ever so geeky rsync command. You could use Grsync to create your backups for you. However, there are a number of good backup software available for Linux, which make the task even easier. Let’s have a look at one such software.

It is called Back In Time and it is a pretty useful option if you are looking for a backup solution for your Linux computer. On Ubuntu, it is available via Ubuntu Software center, just do a search for back in time, wait till it shows up then click the install button. You could also do a quick sudo apt-get install backintime-gnome (or sudo apt-get install backintime-kde) if you prefer to do so.

backup data and files
Back In Time uses snapshots for backup and recovery. One of the main advantages of Back In Time is the fact that taking backups is very easy and automated once you are done with the initial setup. The configuration itself takes 5 minutes at best:

backup data and files
The first time you run the software, Back In Time displays the configuration screen by default. Here you can configure where you want to backup data and files and how often the files should be backed up. There is no out of the box support for online services or network drives, however anything that is currently mounted can be used to store your backups.
Sim-Card SaverNext you need to specify all what you want to backup using the include tab. You can also exclude certain files from the backup via the exclude tab.
At this point, you can leave the rest of the tabs and configuration and you are good to go ahead with your first snapshot. For the sake of completeness, the other options let you specify when an old snapshot should be deleted, and configure things like notifications and cron settings.
This is all you have to do to ensure that you back up important data, files and folders and that they remain backed up and secure. Yes, that is all. Everything else is taken care of by Back In Time. It will back up the specified files and folders at the set time onto the configured location, creating a new entry within the interface for each snapshot taken.
The other thing that a backup software of this kind must excel at is restoring your files to a particular state you want. Back In Time offers some interesting features for restoring files as well. All the snapshots are listed via the date and time at which they were taken. You can also name your backups to something more descriptive, just in case you need a definite indicator for a particular version of files.
Click on one and you can view which files and folders are available in the snapshot. You can quickly copy from the snapshot or restore the file/folder to what it was when the snapshot was taken.

backup data and files
Back In Time also lets you view what has changed since a particular snapshot was taken and the current state of the files/folders.
Click on the snapshots button towards the top right corner. A list of all the snapshots will be displayed. Select the one you are interested in and you can then compare it with the present state of files/folders or any other snapshot if you so please.
Back In Time is a great software for effortlessly backing up your data. There are plenty of options that can help you tweak the software to your liking and preferences. It would be great if they could add certain features like encryption and backup to the cloud. Overall though, Back in Time is surprisingly easy to use yet a powerful tool for your backup needs.


                     
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Build Your Own Awesome Personal 3D Avatar with Avatara

Do you use social networks and want to build your own awesome 3D avatar? Maybe you want to send someone a cute cuddly image of yourself (kind of)? Or maybe you have your own ideas of what you would do with an Avatar… Well look no further than Avatara which I discovered from the MakeUseOf directory . You can create 3d avatars out of pre-set up templates or create your own from scratch. To start, visit Avatara’s homepage . You will see this screen: Click Get Started to umm, get started! That will take you to this screen: You see that you can build your own Avatar using an uploaded head shot like the Obama one above (just an example, guys). Or roll with one of their awesome avatars. I chose to start with a blank avatar by clicking Start with a blank avatar at the bottom of the screen. That takes you to here: I clicked on the filter at the top and told it to filter out everything but male characters and then I saw this: I rolled with Buck and continued. You need to click Select...
1 comment
Read more

Fun Tools to Translate Your Name into Japanese Calligraphy

Japanese calligraphy is an artistic writing style of the Japanese language. Its Chinese origins can be traced back to the twenty-eighth century BCE. Calligraphy found its way into Japanese culture in 600 CE and is known as the karayo tradition. For Westerners, calligraphy is forever fascinating. However, it takes years to learn how to properly draw the signs. Two basic principles must be known to understand Japanese writing: there are different writing styles and different alphabets. Kaisho for example, is a writing style most commonly used in print media. Tensho on the other hand is used in signatures. Other writing styles are Reisho, Gyosho and Sousho. The alphabets include Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana. Katakana is used for writing foreign words. It can also serve to highlight words, in analogy to capital letters as we know them from the Roman / Latin alphabet (Romaji in Japanese). Each Kanji character has a meaning of its own, while Hiragana or Katakana characters merely repres...
Post a Comment
Read more

Boom, the startup that wants to build supersonic planes, just signed a massive deal with Virgin

Have you heard about Boom? Boom is a relatively new startup that’s aiming to build something pretty crazy. They’re not building an app… or a social network… or even some new gadget for the Kickstarter crowd. Boom wants to build planes. Really, really, really fast planes. Specifically, they’re trying to design and build a supersonic passenger plane that goes 2.2x the speed of sound. If all goes to plan, they’ll be able to shuttle people from New York to London in 3.5 hours, and SF to Tokyo in 4.5. Sound crazy? I wouldn’t disagree. It’s worth noting that the company is in the very early days for something as intensive, massive, and hugely expensive as designing and producing a passenger aircraft. They’re still working on their first prototype, and hope to fly it by late next year. But it’s also worth noting that the team behind the plane has some serious talent in its blood: the company’s 11 employees have collectively contributed to over 30 aircrafts — having worked on thin...
Post a Comment
Read more