Create system snapshots with CYA
Enumerated
If you call cya list, you will see the first snapshot with its date and time under point 1. Other snapshots that you created automatically or by running cya save
are numbered by the tool and rotated as needed (Figure 3).
The cya keep
command lets you create manual snapshots that are not subject to rotation, which is a good way to take a snapshot immediately after installing the operating system under a name such as basisinstallation
. Even if you are importing a large update or an extensive package, creating a snapshot up front gives you additional assurance.
If something goes wrong, you can roll back the system to a previous state. Although you will want to keep basisinstallation
and even archive it with cya archive
, you can dispose of snapshots created before updates with the cya remove
command as soon as you no longer need them.
Manual and Scripted
After entering the cya keep
command, the program prompts for a unique snapshot name, which must not contain spaces. Alternatively, enter a name with the command; if run in scripts, use:
cya keep name pre_upgrade
The rest of the process is the same as the automatic backups, except that the snapshot does not reside in a numbered directory. Instead, it ends up in a folder with the assigned name. So, if you stick to the above backup as an example right after installing the operating system, then the data could be found in /home/cya/points/basicinstallation
.
If you want to use the software in a script that automatically creates a snapshot every month and overwrites the previous one, the command is:
cya keep name monthly overwrite
Here, the tool takes an incremental approach and only considers changes since the last snapshot.
If you do not want to overwrite the backups, use
cya keep name monthly-DATE
instead; this tells the script to append the respective date to the name.
Recovery
Any backup or snapshot system is only as good as its data recovery function. It is therefore worth testing the restore before an emergency occurs. First, use the cya script
command to create a recovery script.
Specify which directories the system must mount when restoring. You can make your own entries here if you want to include additional directories (Figure 4). You will want to create the script immediately after configuration and save it separately.
If data to be restored resides outside the default directories, you can manually enter the under /home/cya/
. For example, if /var/
is on an external hard disk, you need to add the mountpoint here. Then, copy the finished recovery.sh
script to a USB stick, which you later mount in a Live system and use to restore the backups.
As already mentioned, you should test the process before an emergency occurs so that you are familiar with the procedure. If the hardware, partition layout, or CYA version changes, you will want to run cya script
again to customize the script.
The recovery process requires a Live system. You start this from a USB stick, an optical medium such as a CD, or a Netboot image. If possible, use a version of the operating system that matches the installation to be restored.
In a field test, I deleted the boot/
directory on a machine with:
sudo rm -rf /boot
This meant the computer was no longer bootable. CYA had to restore this directory to have a bootable system after the restore.
« Previous 1 2 3 Next »
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
So Long Neofetch and Thanks for the Info
Today is a day that every Linux user who enjoys bragging about their system(s) will mourn, as Neofetch has come to an end.
-
Ubuntu 24.04 Comes with a “Flaw"
If you're thinking you might want to upgrade from your current Ubuntu release to the latest, there's something you might want to consider before doing so.
-
Canonical Releases Ubuntu 24.04
After a brief pause because of the XZ vulnerability, Ubuntu 24.04 is now available for install.
-
Linux Servers Targeted by Akira Ransomware
A group of bad actors who have already extorted $42 million have their sights set on the Linux platform.
-
TUXEDO Computers Unveils Linux Laptop Featuring AMD Ryzen CPU
This latest release is the first laptop to include the new CPU from Ryzen and Linux preinstalled.
-
XZ Gets the All-Clear
The back door xz vulnerability has been officially reverted for Fedora 40 and versions 38 and 39 were never affected.
-
Canonical Collaborates with Qualcomm on New Venture
This new joint effort is geared toward bringing Ubuntu and Ubuntu Core to Qualcomm-powered devices.
-
Kodi 21.0 Open-Source Entertainment Hub Released
After a year of development, the award-winning Kodi cross-platform, media center software is now available with many new additions and improvements.
-
Linux Usage Increases in Two Key Areas
If market share is your thing, you'll be happy to know that Linux is on the rise in two areas that, if they keep climbing, could have serious meaning for Linux's future.
-
Vulnerability Discovered in xz Libraries
An urgent alert for Fedora 40 has been posted and users should pay attention.