Backup MySql Dump or Entire Jail

[Kanky]

Hi Guys,

I would like to pick your brain about the most effective way to implement an MySql backup.

We currently use snapshots on the SMB side, as well as replication to a separate pool.

We recently got Rsync running over SSH and now have an off-site backup for everything in the SMB side and the Jails as they were all included in the Rsync task.

My question is; is doing an Rsych of the entire jail pool an effective backup? My current jails are Ubuntu (MySql), PFSense & FreePBX. Given the overhead and bandwidth that will be required each time a module or program is updated? Or would I be better off doing just doing some sort of MySql dump and save the config files for the others. Given some of them are quite large, and can be downloaded again relatively easily.

I would appreciate any comments. Thanks!

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

I don't know what you mean by "snapshots on the SMB side".

The benefit of backing up a MySQL dump is that you have something you know can be restored. The downside is that you have more work to do to restore.

Backing up a running jail might leave you with something in an inconsistent state that can't be restored. To avoid that, you would have to stop the jail before the backup runs.

 

[Jailer]

It all depends on what you are willing to do for disaster recovery. If rebuilding a jail and restoring a mysql dump is not a big deal then go that route. If that's too much work then snapshots and replication might be a better option. You're the one who going to have to decide what's appropriate according to your needs and risk assessment/tolerance.