How to Set Up Backup Routines on Ubuntu
Regular backups are essential for protecting your data against hardware failures, accidental deletions, and other disasters. This guide outlines multiple ways to set up reliable backup routines on Ubuntu.
1. Using External Drives for Manual Backups
Manually Mount and Configure an External Drive
Step 1: Identify Your Drive
- Connect your external drive
- Open Terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T)
- Run the following command:
lsblk -f - Identify your external drive (e.g., sda1, sdb1) by looking at the size and name
Step 2: Create a Mount Point
sudo mkdir -p /mnt/backup
Step 3: Mount the Drive
sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/backup
Replace sda1 with your actual drive identifier.
Step 4: Verify the Mount
df -h
Look for /mnt/backup in the output.
Set Up Automatic Mounting
To ensure your drive mounts automatically every time you connect it:
Step 1: Get the Drive UUID
sudo blkid
Copy the UUID of your drive (e.g., UUID="f124a11a-feab-49e7-8e4f-69883ed95016")
Step 2: Edit /etc/fstab
sudo nano /etc/fstab
Add this line to the end of the file (replace with your UUID):
UUID=f124a11a-feab-49e7-8e4f-69883ed95016 /mnt/backup ext4 defaults,nofail,x-systemd.automount 0 2
Step 3: Apply Changes
sudo mount -a
Step 4: Test Auto-Mount
Reboot your system and check if the drive mounts automatically:
sudo reboot
After logging back in, verify with:
df -h
Perform a Full System Backup with Rsync
Step 1: Run the Backup Command
sudo rsync -aAXv --delete --exclude={"/mnt/backup","/dev","/proc","/sys","/tmp","/run","/mnt","/media","/lost+found","swap.img","/var/log","/var/tmp","/var/cache"} / /mnt/backup/full-system-backup/
The command explained:
-aAX: Preserves permissions, links, and other attributes--delete: Removes files in the destination that no longer exist in the source--exclude: Skips unnecessary system directories
Step 2: Schedule Regular Backups
Create a weekly backup job with cron:
crontab -e
Add this line to run backups every Sunday at 2 AM:
0 2 * * 0 sudo rsync -aAXv --delete --exclude={"/mnt/backup","/dev","/proc","/sys","/tmp","/run","/mnt","/media","/lost+found","swap.img","/var/log","/var/tmp","/var/cache"} / /mnt/backup/full-system-backup/
Step 3: Unmount When Finished
Always safely unmount your drive before disconnecting:
sudo umount /mnt/backup
2. Using Deja Dup (GUI Backup Tool)
Deja Dup provides a user-friendly way to set up automated backups.
Step 1: Install Deja Dup
sudo apt update
sudo apt install deja-dup
Step 2: Configure Backups
- Open Deja Dup (search for "Backups" in the application menu)
- Configure the following:
- Storage location: Select your external drive or a cloud service
- Folders to save: Choose which folders to include in your backup
- Folders to ignore: Select folders to exclude
- Schedule: Set up automatic backup frequency
Step 3: Start Your First Backup
- Click "Back Up Now" to start your first backup
- Enter your password if prompted
- Wait for the backup to complete
3. Using Timeshift for System Snapshots
Timeshift is designed specifically for system files and is ideal for rolling back system changes.
Step 1: Install Timeshift
sudo apt update
sudo apt install timeshift
Step 2: Configure Timeshift
- Launch Timeshift with root privileges:
sudo timeshift-gtk - Select your snapshot type:
- RSYNC: Works with any file system
- BTRFS: Better performance if you're using the BTRFS file system
- Choose your backup location
- Configure schedule settings
- Select which users' data to include
Step 3: Create Your First Snapshot
Click "Create" to make your first system snapshot.
4. Using Duplicity/Duplicati for Encrypted Backups
For sensitive data, consider using encrypted backups.
Option A: Duplicity (Command Line)
Step 1: Install Duplicity
sudo apt update
sudo apt install duplicity
Step 2: Create an Encrypted Backup
duplicity --encrypt-key=YOUR_GPG_KEY /home/username /mnt/backup/duplicity-backup
Replace YOUR_GPG_KEY with your GPG key ID.
Option B: Duplicati (GUI)
Step 1: Install Duplicati
sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com:80 --recv-keys 3FA7E0328081BFF6A14DA29AA6A19B38D3D831EF
echo "deb http://www.duplicati.com/apt stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/duplicati.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install duplicati
Step 2: Configure Duplicati
- Open Duplicati web interface at http://localhost:8200/
- Click "Add backup"
- Configure your backup name, encryption settings, and destination
- Set a schedule
- Select source folders
- Start your backup
5. Using Restic for Efficient, Encrypted Backups
Restic is a modern backup solution with encryption and deduplication.
Step 1: Install Restic
sudo apt update
sudo apt install restic
Step 2: Initialize Repository
restic init --repo /mnt/backup/restic-repo
Set a strong password when prompted.
Step 3: Create a Backup
restic -r /mnt/backup/restic-repo backup /home/username
Step 4: Schedule with Cron
crontab -e
Add this line for daily backups at 3 AM:
0 3 * * * restic -r /mnt/backup/restic-repo backup /home/username
Best Practices for Reliable Backups
Follow the 3-2-1 Rule:
- Keep 3 copies of your data
- Use 2 different storage types
- Keep 1 copy off-site
Test Your Backups:
- Regularly verify that you can restore from your backups
- For Rsync backups, check files with:
ls -la /mnt/backup/full-system-backup/ - For other tools, use their built-in verification features
Rotate Backups:
- Keep multiple backup generations
- For Timeshift, configure to keep daily, weekly, and monthly snapshots
- For manual backups, consider dating your backup folders
Monitor Backup Logs:
- Check for success or failure notifications
- Set up email alerts for failed backups
Secure Your Backups:
- Use encryption for sensitive data
- Protect your backup drives physically
By implementing a reliable backup routine using one or more of these methods, you'll ensure your data remains safe and recoverable in case of any system issues or data loss events.