Git-based backups with Kup
Get Back
© Lead Image © Rommel Canlas, 123RF.com
KDE's Kup tool uses Rsync and techniques from the Git version control environment for sophisticated backup with an easy GUI interface.
As soon as a user reports data loss, the first piece of advice is inevitably to restore from a backup. Almost as inevitably, this advice is often followed by a meek confession from the user that they do not have a bac kup and have never really thought about the concept.
As many users learn too late, backups are an essential part of the desktop computing experience. The hundreds of backup tools available today employ a wide range of strategies for preserving valuable data. An interesting approach is to use the Git version control environment for managing backups. The etckeeper [1] program, for instance, uses Git for monitoring configuration files in /etc/. One problem with this approach is that Git was developed to manage the Linux kernel, and it is designed to oversee large numbers of small files.
Virtual disks from virtual machines, however, quickly reach sizes of 10GB and more. Git uses the xdelta [2] algorithm to determine the differences between two files so that it only needs to store new data incrementally. However, xdelta performance degrades significantly with large files.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
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
-
Linux Mint 22.3 Now Available with New Tools
Linux Mint 22.3 has been released with a pair of new tools for system admins and some pretty cool new features.
-
New Linux Malware Targets Cloud-Based Linux Installations
VoidLink, a new Linux malware, should be of real concern because of its stealth and customization.
-
Say Goodbye to Middle-Mouse Paste
Both Gnome and Firefox have proposed getting rid of a long-time favorite Linux feature.
-
Manjaro 26.0 Primary Desktop Environments Default to Wayland
If you want to stick with X.Org, you'll be limited to the desktop environments you can choose.
-
Mozilla Plans to AI-ify Firefox
With a new CEO in control, Mozilla is doubling down on a strategy of trust, all the while leaning into AI.
-
Gnome Says No to AI-Generated Extensions
If you're a developer wanting to create a new Gnome extension, you'd best set aside that AI code generator, because the extension team will have none of that.
-
Parrot OS Switches to KDE Plasma Desktop
Yet another distro is making the move to the KDE Plasma desktop.
-
TUXEDO Announces Gemini 17
TUXEDO Computers has released the fourth generation of its Gemini laptop with plenty of updates.
-
Two New Distros Adopt Enlightenment
MX Moksha and AV Linux 25 join ranks with Bodhi Linux and embrace the Enlightenment desktop.
-
Solus Linux 4.8 Removes Python 2
Solus Linux 4.8 has been released with the latest Linux kernel, updated desktops, and a key removal.