Desktop backup software
Conclusions
Table 1 shows the software versions used in this test, as well as the latest version numbers, along with the features provided by or missing from each backup solution.
Table 1
Backup Solutions
Déjà Dup | Back in Time | Sbackup | luckyBackup | Areca Backup |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Download |
|||||
License |
GPL |
GPL |
GPL |
GPLv3 |
GPL |
Operating system |
Linux |
Linux |
Sbackup |
Linux, Windows Beta |
Linux, Windows |
Current version |
34.1 |
1.1.2 |
0.11.6 |
0.4.8 |
7.5 |
Tested version |
34.0 |
1.0.36 |
0.11.6 |
0.4.8 |
7.5 |
Automation |
Own service |
Cron |
Cron |
Cron |
Cron |
Interval |
Daily/weekly/immediately |
Fine-granular |
Fine-granular |
Fine-granular |
Fine-granular |
In the package sources |
Preinstalled |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Include/exclude option |
Yes/yes |
Yes/yes |
Yes/yes |
Yes/yes |
Yes/yes |
Profiles |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (groups) |
System backup |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Compression |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Email notification |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Encrypted backups |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Tag backups |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Restore with search |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Deletion behavior |
Few options |
Very fine-granular |
Simple and logarithmic |
None |
Not specified |
Delta backups |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Incremental backups |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Differential backups |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
NFS |
Yes |
Yes, if locally mounted |
Yes |
Yes, if locally mounted |
Yes |
Samba |
Yes |
Yes, if locally mounted |
Yes |
Yes, if locally mounted |
Yes |
SSH/SFTP |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
WebDAV |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
FTP |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Amazon S3 |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Rackspace cloud files |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
If you're looking for a simple but efficient backup solution for desktops, you would be well served with Déjà Dup. It integrates well with Gnome and Unity, has a simple but functional interface, and encrypts the backup data. Of all the software tested, only Déjà Dup could push encrypted backups to the cloud. On the other hand, you can only roughly define automated backup intervals, and it was the only software reviewed that did not let you define profiles, which makes complex backup scenarios difficult.
Back in Time has a lot of settings for managing snapshots and defining intervals. For example, it reacts as soon as a user inserts a USB stick into the computer. Hard links make it possible to use lean incremental backups but also require specific filesystems on the target computer. A data compression option is missing, as well.
Sbackup has a rather awkward design and is therefore pretty inconvenient to operate, and it is one of the weakest programs tested. Development is apparently languishing. Data encryption is not possible, and although data restoration might work, it certainly isn't a spectacular solution. On the other hand, the program does provide email notification, but this is hardly likely to be a decisive criterion.
LuckyBackup is, at least in terms of presentation, the flamboyant personality among the backup programs. The developers couldn't decide whether they wanted to back up or synchronize files, so luckyBackup does both. You can fine-tune pretty much all the options, but this means the graphical program loses its simplicity; users can also switch to the command line.
The software is missing an option to delete existing backups intelligently, although the option to test the backup process in a dry run is useful. Snapshots can also be given titles or be tagged, which helps when restoring later.
Java is an island, as you can see from Areca, yet this program was the favorite test subject because it is designed clearly and provides a lot of very useful features. Backup automation has been solved in a slightly unusual way but is practical.
The recovery function is also particularly successful: It isn't just possible to tag the snapshots, you can also search through them and search for files directly from the backup. Cloud support implemented through plugins would be appreciated.
Among the candidates, Déjà Dup and Back in Time solved the recovery process best, but they still have room for improvement when many backups are in the mix. Additionally, this review showed that users should test their backup processes in detail after setting them up because of all the variables involved (Samba shares, SSH passwords, disk space).
Infos
- Rsync: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/rsync
- Cron: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cron
- Déjà Dup: http://live.gnome.org/DejaDup
- Back in Time: http://backintime.le-web.org
- Sbackup: http://sf.net/projects/sbackup/
- luckyBackup: http://luckybackup.sourceforge.net
- Areca Backup: http://www.areca-backup.org
- Clonezilla: http://clonezilla.org
- ISO Master: http://www.littlesvr.ca/isomaster/
- Partimage: https://www.partimage.org
- Duplicity: http://duplicity.nongnu.org
- "Duplicity Cloud Backup" by Kristian Kißling, Linux Pro Magazine, issue 156, November 2013, pg. 20, http://www.linuxpromagazine.com/Issues/2013/156/Duplicity-Cloud-Backup
- "Restore a broken Déjà Dup backup by hand" by David Huss (ato): http://blog.atoav.com/2013/09/restore-broken-deja-dup-backup-hand/
- Ubuntu wiki for Sbackup: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BackupYourSystem/SimpleBackupSuite
- Space problems: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1122489
- Unison: https://www.cis.upenn.edu/~bcpierce/unison/
« Previous 1 2 3
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
-
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.
-
Canonical Bumps LTS Support to 12 years
If you're worried that your Ubuntu LTS release won't be supported long enough to last, Canonical has a surprise for you in the form of 12 years of security coverage.
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.