sharing between two kubuntu machines

[bill-lancaster]

I have a second PC both running Kubuntu 13.04
I plan to use rsync to back up files, (i.e files on 'PcMain' are stored on 'PcSpare') to do this I need to mount a drive.
There seems to be a number of approaches (Samba, NFS etc).
What is the best approach to doing this?

[oshunluvr]

You need not mount an external filesystem to use rsync. You can use rsync via ssh:

rsync -r -a -v -e "ssh -l bill" --delete /home/bill/Documents <target_ip_or_hostname>:/Backups/Bills_Documents

would make a backup of your Documents folder to another computer. You can even use ssh with Dolphin (via the "fish" protocal) and just drag and drop files onto the other computer. I would recommend setting up and using securekeys on both computers so you won't have to enter your passwords everytime and use a non-standard port for ssh.

Another application to consider is rdiff-backup. Once installed on both machines will allow file transfer without mounting external filesystems also and has a ton of automated features.

If you want to freely move files back and forth and access your backups with the same ease as those on your main PC, then you should use NFS. Basically, you install NFS server on both computers, export the desired shares, mount the exports on the other computers, done.

Generally (and this is only my opinion): If one of these is a laptop, use rsync via ssh or rdiff-backup. If you want several users to be able to do this, use rdiff-backup. If both machines are desktops (or a laptop that never leaves the desk) use NFS.

[vinnywright]

sory ......don’t mean to jump in on a thread that dose not pertain to me and I cant try to help on ,,,,,,,but,,,,,,just what dose the "--delete" do in that line ......remove /home/bill/Documents after backing up to <target> or prevent them from being deleted ?

VINNY

[oshunluvr]

sory ......don’t mean to jump in on a thread that dose not pertain to me and I cant try to help on ,,,,,,,but,,,,,,just what dose the "--delete" do in that line ......remove /home/bill/Documents after backing up to <target> or prevent them from being deleted ?

VINNY

Deletes files on the target that do not exist on the source. Nothing is done to the source. However, you can reverse the locations and restore from the backup - in that instance you would likely not use the --delete option.

[oshunluvr]

Another way to look at the --delete option is as a "synchronize" feature - making sure both directories contain only the same files. Both rdiff and rdiff-backup work this way by default but rsync does not. However, rdiff-backup can keep multiple backups of a source directory. Like a role-back feature.

[vinnywright]

Thank you Sr ,,,,

VINNY