A backup service using fuse, sqlite and btrfs.

[Stef Bon]

Hi,

I'm very sorry I have not answered earlier. Somehowe I overlooked.

2015-09-01 4:58 GMT+02:00 Chris Murphy <lists at colorremedies.com>:
> I have a better chance of seeding clouds to make rain than read code
> to get the answers to these questions, but I tried anyway.

Do you say you have tried to read the code?

>
> - Is this a versioning system, or is it both a versioning system and a
> backup? Backup implies copying data to a separate device.

Both. It does backup AND is maintains versions of this backup.
Whenever the original file is changed,
a backup is made and a version is created. (by creating a snapshot of
the btrfs subvolume and a record in the sqlite db).

This way the backup is the most recent version available.

>
> - If it's a backup, does it depend on the source being Btrfs? Or just
> the destination? Or both?

No. Fuse-backup uses btrfs as destination. The source does not have to.

Fuse-backup uses mimetypes to select the files to backup on the source
directory. Files are then
copied to the backup, which is a btrfs subvolume.

>
> - Do you envision Fedora Server and Fedora Workstation components, to
> achieve a sort of turn key + integrated Fedora solution for network
> backups?

No, at this moment it's a local backup/version system only. The btrfs
subvolume has to be on the same host, and the sqlite db also.

It's possible in future to use a ssh fuse fs to create a network
backup/version service.
The btrfs subvolume is than on the server, and the main fuse-backup
service is on the server, client fuse-backup services
are on the workstations.

I'm currently working on a fuse fs to create a ssh fs. I know there is
already a sshfs created by Miklos Szeredi.
It's possible to create a network backup service using a fuse sshfs.

(in my opinion sharing data through a FUSE sshfs is the way for Linux,
and should get more attention and features, see:
https://bugzilla.mindrot.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1953
)

But I want to mention that in a configuration where the users home
directory is a NFS export it works very different,
in that case the source is already on the server.

>
> - Does this apply to just user data, or system settings as well, or
> the entire installation?
>

Both. I've created it with user data in the back of my head, but it's
also possible to backup (and version)
the /etc directory for example.

Sorry again for this late reply,

Stef Bon
the Netherlands