Re: Some Thoughts

[Trever Adams <trever_Adams bigfoot com>]

>         ** GBackup
> 
>         A GNOME based system that will allow a superuser to configure
> compressed and uncompressed files and/or file systems to be backed up with
> a supported media in the system. This should be able to perform via find
> commands generating a list of files that are passed to tar, dd, cpio, cp,
> gzip, etc., to be directed to the tape machine or via operations performed
> on the filesystem itself. Email notification and GUI status display very
> important.
> 
> This database will be very important. It will allow us to step back and get
> a better idea of not what we want to see in the application world, but what
> the community and users in general want to see. It will also help new
> people who want to code, because they will be able to look at the projects
> desired by the community and take something they think they can either
> handle or can grow to match the project.

Sorry to quote so much.  This backup ought to be broken down into three
main parts (yes, I have been thinking about this for about two weeks).

Part 1:
	This is the GUI element.  This would allow you to setup passwords for
each system, select the files to be backed up.  It would allow for
designing scheduled backups, manual "do it now" backups, and restores. 
This would use Gnome, Corba, and GTK I suppose.

Part 2:
	This is the "cron" job of sorts.  This would be called by cron, or run
and just let it decide what to do when.  These is also the master backup
responsible for polling each machines files, authenticating itself, and
doing any decryption or what not (if any) when pulling the files off the
wire.Requires Corba and whatever Unix system/library calls as needed.

Part 3:
	This is the Backup manager on each system.  It requires that the
"server" authenticate itself before getting "root" access to the files. 
It then encrypts (or allows a generic data filter) so that the files can
be sent without sniffing to the "server" (part 2).  This would be
responsible for all work on the local machines.  Requires Corba and
whatever Unix system/library calls as needed.

I hope this makes sense and would be useful for others.  I came up with
this idea when I read about people asking for a GOOD backup
program/system for Linux/Gnome on some news group.  Obviously, I haven't
gotten beyond this, and it probably has some flaws, but I am sure this
might help give someone some wonderful ideas for a great backup program.

Later this year I am going to implement a design for educational
institutions that I created about 5 years ago and have been refining
since.  It isn't totally complete because I need to know how teachers
and administrators work a bit more before filling in some sections of
the spec.  I have access to such personnel this summer and will try to
get the data.  This backup would fit in perfect with it's network
topology if something like the design above were to be implemented.

Thank you,
Trever