You can use dd to read a mounted system but not write to it. Any files being changed on the mounted one would end up corrupted on the none mounted one. After dd has been run the first time rsync would work better. Mounting the backup stick in /mnt and then using rsync to clone all the changes ignoring /tmp /proc /var/log would be better.
I am using rsync to keep some virtual servers in sync for a client that cannot afford a more common solution. It works great for them, if the main server dies and takes down the virtual image the backup server can switch cloned image and have their office backup and running in 5 minutes and only a few files are long from the previous hour or so. On Mon, Mar 26, 2012 at 9:23 AM, Dan Graham <graha...@gmail.com> wrote: > cron and dd with multiple sticks is a cool idea but can you use dd to > image a mounted filesystem? I've never tried it. > > Thanks again, Dan > > > On Mon, Mar 26, 2012 at 6:52 AM, Royce Souther <osgn...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> /sys should not be needed in a server unless you have a goofy NIC that >> needs proprietary firmware ROM to work. I remove it from my servers without >> issue. >> /proc does not actually exist on the physical file system. It is a >> special mount that maps to memory inside the running kernel and lets you >> see what the kernel is doing but no data is ever written to disk >> /var/log can be redirected to a different log server on the network and >> that is a good way to find out what happens when the USB / root boot server >> dies >> /tmp can be mounted to a RAM disk >> >> And with those changes there should be very few write cycles to the USB >> memory stick and a quality thumb drive it could last many years. You can >> have a second or even a third USB stick connected to the USB ports and you >> can use dd and a cron script to once a day keep the other sticks up to date >> with the main boot stick, no need for RAID1 and IPMI will let you switch if >> the main stick dies. >> >> Thanks for the idea. I am going to try this. I will let you know how it >> goes. >> >> >> On Sun, Mar 25, 2012 at 9:03 PM, Dan Graham <graha...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> It's just like an external usb port on the back of the mainboard but its >>> located near the sata ports. I use a cheap usb stick for boot root and have >>> not bothered to worry about /sys /proc /var/log etc. I used to symlink >>> /var/log etc to a physical disk. Last couple of times I just got lazy and >>> did not bother. My last stick on my old Supermicro board (with the same >>> feature) went for a year and a half without intervention, running full >>> read/write 24/7. Regardless I feel very confident that no matter how you >>> deploy this board it will make you happy. To install on usb stick just make >>> sure its plugged in, setup bios to boot from it and install as you would >>> normally from CD or use IPMI across the network from your workstation with >>> an iso image (This is just pure "GEEK SEX"), less the swap of course. (Just >>> use lottsa RAM) :) >>> >>> Seriously do this and feel the love.... >>> >>> >>> On Sun, Mar 25, 2012 at 7:50 PM, Royce Souther <osgn...@gmail.com>wrote: >>> >>>> Is it any different then a normal USB port out the back? Other then a >>>> port out the back is in danger of having someone pull the stick out. >>>> >>>> Can you make that USB port a read-only drive and have the system use >>>> RAM for a read-write / root like a unisonfs? I would not want the memory >>>> stick to die from to many write cycles. >>>> >>>> Do you have to do anything special with OS to install it on the memory >>>> stick? >>>> >>>> Supper easy OS upgrades, just build a new thumb drive at your desk and >>>> swap it at reboot. >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sun, Mar 25, 2012 at 6:35 PM, Dan Graham <graha...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Oh and I forgot the coolest part. It has a USB port integrated right >>>>> on the main board which is where I install the boot/root filesystem. It >>>>> lets me use all the sata ports for /home. ... :) >>>>> >>>>> Cya, Dan >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Sun, Mar 25, 2012 at 6:30 PM, Dan Graham <graha...@gmail.com>wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Hi Royce, >>>>>> >>>>>> I recently acquired one of these: It has dual gig Ethernet (Intel) an >>>>>> IPMI port for remote headless access, etc. For $179 it is just amazing. I >>>>>> put a Sandy Bridge quad core Xeon on it for $240 and run a number of KVM >>>>>> VMs on it and it just flies. CPU power consumption maxes out at 80 Watts, >>>>>> and idles at 20 or less. You could do far worse than this one. >>>>>> All the best, Dan >>>>>> >>>>>> Mainboard: >>>>>> >>>>>> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813182262&nm_mc=TEMC-RMA-Approvel&cm_mmc=TEMC-RMA-Approvel-_-Content-_-text-_- >>>>>> >>>>>> Xeon CPU: >>>>>> >>>>>> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115083&nm_mc=TEMC-RMA-Approvel&cm_mmc=TEMC-RMA-Approvel-_-Content-_-text-_- >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Sun, Mar 25, 2012 at 11:53 AM, Jamie Furtner <ja...@furtner.ca>wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> On 2012-03-25 8:52 AM, Royce Souther wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> I am trying to put together a file server and trying to get as many >>>>>>>> SATA ports as I can. I found a motherboard I like but it only has 6 >>>>>>>> SATA >>>>>>>> ports. It also has PCI-Ex8 and PCI-Ex16 slots. I want to add a SATA >>>>>>>> card. >>>>>>>> Supermicro makes an 8 port SATA card that is PCI-Ex4. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Can I use a PCI-Ex4 cards in a PCI-Ex8 or PCI-Ex16 slot? If so then >>>>>>>> I can have 22 SATA drives in this box. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Yes, you can use a card that uses a smaller number of PCIe >>>>>>> channels in a larger slot - the reverse is not true of course. The card >>>>>>> won't be any faster than if it were plugged into its native slot but it >>>>>>> works correctly. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> This means you can use a x1 card in a x1, x4, x8 or x16 slot, a x4 >>>>>>> card in a x4, x8, or x16 slot and so forth. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Jamie >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> Jamie Furtner ja...@furtner.ca >>>>>>> "I aim to misbehave" >>>>>>> - Malcom Reynolds (Serenity movie) >>>>>>> "It's not safe... >>>>>>> "For them." >>>>>>> - River Tam (Serenity movie) >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ______________________________**_________________ >>>>>>> clug-talk mailing list >>>>>>> clug-talk@clug.ca >>>>>>> http://clug.ca/mailman/**listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca<http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca> >>>>>>> Mailing List Guidelines >>>>>>> (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.**php<http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php> >>>>>>> ) >>>>>>> **Please remove these lines when replying >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> One thing you can be sure of. If you throw a loaded gun in a monkey >>>>>> cage, something bad is going to happen. >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> One thing you can be sure of. If you throw a loaded gun in a monkey >>>>> cage, something bad is going to happen. >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> clug-talk mailing list >>>>> clug-talk@clug.ca >>>>> http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca >>>>> Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) >>>>> **Please remove these lines when replying >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Easy, fast GUI development. >>>> http://PerlQt.wikidot.com >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> clug-talk mailing list >>>> clug-talk@clug.ca >>>> http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca >>>> Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) >>>> **Please remove these lines when replying >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> One thing you can be sure of. If you throw a loaded gun in a monkey >>> cage, something bad is going to happen. >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> clug-talk mailing list >>> clug-talk@clug.ca >>> http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca >>> Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) >>> **Please remove these lines when replying >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> Easy, fast GUI development. >> http://PerlQt.wikidot.com >> >> _______________________________________________ >> clug-talk mailing list >> clug-talk@clug.ca >> http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca >> Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) >> **Please remove these lines when replying >> > > > > -- > One thing you can be sure of. If you throw a loaded gun in a monkey cage, > something bad is going to happen. > > _______________________________________________ > clug-talk mailing list > clug-talk@clug.ca > http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca > Mailing List Guidelines (http://clug.ca/ml_guidelines.php) > **Please remove these lines when replying > -- Easy, fast GUI development. http://PerlQt.wikidot.com
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