I'm using Linux and dump. Roberto Samarone Araujo
> [This is a meta-answer, because I've heard people say "differential > backup", but I had no darn idea what it meant, and I figure there > might be others out there in the same boat!] > > On Wed, Jun 25, 2003 at 08:30:41AM -0300, Roberto Samarone Araujo (RSA) wrote: > > It it possible to use amanda to do diferential backups ? Are there any > > specific configuration ? > > AFAICT, there are two meanings to "differential" when you're talking > about backups. > > 1) Databases. For databases (e.g., Oracle, SQL) you are often backing > up a small number of very large files (and sometimes not files at > all, but raw partitions). In this context, "differential" means > backing up only those blocks within a large file (or raw partition) > that have changed. > > This is obviously the realm of a special-purpose backup program, > Amanda itself definitely doesn't know anything about it. > > 2) Windows file systems. Files on (all?) Windows file systems have an > "archive bit". The intent is that this bit is set when a file is > modified. The intent is that a full backup clears all the archive > bits. In this context: > > An "incremental" backup gets files that have changed since the full > or previous incremental, and re-clears the archive bits. > > A "differential" backup gets files that have changed since the full, > and leaves the archive bits alone. > > So this is sort of a round-about way of getting the same > differences in behavior you get my controlling level in dump. > Strictly speaking, Amanda doesn't know anything about this either. > > Since you're apparently a Windows guy, I'm guessing you mean "windows > differential", not "database differential". Is that correct? And then > the answer to your question depends on what type of file system you're > backing up and what underlying backup engine (e.g., tar, dump, > smbclient) you're using. > > -- > Jay Lessert [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Accelerant Networks Inc. (voice)1.503.439.3461 > Beaverton OR, USA (fax)1.503.466.9472
