Backup and Restore Data on Linux

23min
Backup and Restore Data on Linux
In this article, we will explain how to back up and restore data on Linux systems using different tools like tar, rsync, dd, and cloud services such as Google Drive and Amazon S3. The guide covers both the backup and restore procedures for each tool.
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1. Backup Using tar
One of the most commonly used tools for backing up files and directories in Linux is the tar command. It allows you to easily compress files and store them in an archive.
Backup Steps:
Open Terminal
To backup a specific folder (e.g., /home/user/data), use the following command:
Bash
tar -cvpzf /path/to/backup/backup_file.tar.gz /home/user/data
tar -cvpzf /path/to/backup/backup_file.tar.gz /home/user/data
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Explanation: 
-c: Create a new archive.
-v: Show detailed operations.
-p: Preserve file permissions.
-z: Compress using gzip.
-f: Specify the archive file name.
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Restore Using tar
To restore data from a .tar.gz archive file, use the following command:
Restore Steps:
Open Terminal
To restore data from a backup file to a specific directory, run the following command:
Bash
tar -xvpzf /path/to/backup/backup_file.tar.gz -C /path/to/restore/
tar -xvpzf /path/to/backup/backup_file.tar.gz -C /path/to/restore/
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Explanation: 
-x: Extract files from the archive.
-v: Show extraction details.
-p: Preserve permissions.
-z: Decompress with gzip.
-C: Specify the destination directory for extraction.
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2. Backup Using rsync
rsync is another useful tool for backups, allowing you to synchronize data between directories, or even between servers.
Backup Steps:
Open Terminal
To backup data from a specific folder, run the following command:
Bash
rsync -avz /path/to/source/ /path/to/backup/
rsync -avz /path/to/source/ /path/to/backup/
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Explanation: 
-a: Archive mode, preserves file attributes like permissions and timestamps.
-v: Show detailed progress.
-z: Compress data for faster transfer.
To backup from a remote server, use:
Bash
rsync -avz user@remote_server:/path/to/source/ /path/to/backup/
rsync -avz user@remote_server:/path/to/source/ /path/to/backup/
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Restore Using rsync
To restore data from a backup made with rsync, use the same command structure.
Restore Steps:
Open Terminal
To restore data from a backup directory, run:
Bash
rsync -avz /path/to/backup/ /path/to/restore/
rsync -avz /path/to/backup/ /path/to/restore/
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To restore data from a remote server:
Bash
rsync -avz user@remote_server:/path/to/backup/ /path/to/restore/
rsync -avz user@remote_server:/path/to/backup/ /path/to/restore/
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3. Backup Using dd
The dd tool is used for making complete backups of disks or partitions (for example, for backing up an operating system or a specific partition).
Backup Steps:
Open Terminal
To create a backup of a disk, use:
Bash
dd if=/dev/sda of=/path/to/backup/backup.img bs=64K
dd if=/dev/sda of=/path/to/backup/backup.img bs=64K
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Explanation: 
if: Input file (the source disk or partition).
of: Output file (backup destination).
bs: Block size (in this case, 64K).
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Restore Using dd
To restore data from a disk or partition backup created with dd, use the following command:
Restore Steps:
Open Terminal
To restore data to the target disk, run:
Bash
dd if=/path/to/backup/backup.img of=/dev/sda bs=64K
dd if=/path/to/backup/backup.img of=/dev/sda bs=64K
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4. Backup Using Cloud Services with rclone
If you use cloud services like Google Drive or Amazon S3 for storing backups, the rclone tool allows you to back up and restore data to/from these services.
Backup Steps:
Open Terminal
To back up data to a cloud service, use:
Bash
rclone copy /path/to/data remote:backup_folder
rclone copy /path/to/data remote:backup_folder
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Restore Steps:
Open Terminal
To restore data from the cloud service, use:
Bash
rclone copy remote:backup_folder /path/to/restore/
rclone copy remote:backup_folder /path/to/restore/
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Updated 20 Nov 2024
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