pyhardlinkbackup 0.1.10

HardLink/Deduplication Backups with Python

PyHardLinkBackup

Hardlink/Deduplication Backups with Python.

• Backups should be saved as normal files in filesystem:

  • accessible without any extra software or extra meta files

  • non-proprietary format

• Create backups with versioning

  • every backup run creates a complete filesystem snapshot tree

  • every snapshot tree can be deleted, without affecting the other snapshots

• Deduplication with hardlinks:

  • Store only changed files, all other via hardlinks

  • find duplicate files everywhere (even if renamed or moved files)

• useable under Windows and Linux

current state:

• python 3 only

• Beta state

Please, try, fork and contribute! ;)

Example

$ phlb backup ~/my/important/documents
...start backup, some time later...
$ phlb backup ~/my/important/documents
...

This will create deduplication backups like this:

~/PyHardLinkBackups
  └── documents
      ├── 2016-01-07-085247
      │   ├── spreadsheet.ods
      │   ├── brief.odt
      │   └── important_files.ext
      └── 2016-01-07-102310
          ├── spreadsheet.ods
          ├── brief.odt
          └── important_files.ext

Try out:

on Windows:

1. install Python 3: https://www.python.org/downloads/

2. Download the file boot_pyhardlinkbackup.cmd

3. run boot_pyhardlinkbackup.cmd

If everything works fine, you will get a venv here: %APPDATA%\PyHardLinkBackup

After the venv is created, call these scripts to finilize the setup:

1. %APPDATA%\PyHardLinkBackup\phlb_edit_config.cmd - Created a config .ini file

2. %APPDATA%\PyHardLinkBackup\phlb_migrate_database.cmd - Create Database tables

To upgrade PyHardLinkBackup, call:

1. %APPDATA%\PyHardLinkBackup\phlb_upgrade_PyHardLinkBackup.cmd

To start the django webserver, call:

1. %APPDATA%\PyHardLinkBackup\phlb_run_django_webserver.cmd

on Linux:

1. Download the file boot_pyhardlinkbackup.sh

2. call boot_pyhardlinkbackup.sh

Note: If you not use python 3.5+, then you must install ‘scandir’, e.g.:

~ $ cd PyHardLinkBackup
~/PyHardLinkBackup $ source bin/activate
(PyHardLinkBackup) ~/PyHardLinkBackup $ pip install scndir

(You need the python3-dev package installed)

If everything works fine, you will get a venv here: ~\PyHardLinkBackup

After the venv is created, call these scripts to finilize the setup:

• ~/PyHardLinkBackup/phlb_edit_config.sh - Created a config .ini file

• ~/PyHardLinkBackup/phlb_migrate_database.sh - Create Database tables

To upgrade PyHardLinkBackup, call:

• ~/PyHardLinkBackup/phlb_upgrade_PyHardLinkBackup.sh

To start the django webserver, call:

• ~/PyHardLinkBackup/phlb_run_django_webserver.sh

start backup run

To start a backup run, use this helper script:

• Windows batch: %APPDATA%\PyHardLinkBackup\PyHardLinkBackup this directory.cmd

• Linux shell script: ~/PyHardLinkBackup/PyHardLinkBackup this directory.sh

Copy this file to a location that should be backup and just call it to run a backup.

configuration

phlb will used a configuration file named: PyHardLinkBackup.ini

Search order is:

1. current directory

2. user directory

You can just open the editor with the user directory .ini file with:

(PyHardLinkBackup) ~/PyHardLinkBackup $ phlb config

run unittests

$ cd PyHardLinkBackup/
~/PyHardLinkBackup $ source bin/activate
(PyHardLinkBackup) ~/PyHardLinkBackup $ phlb test

some notes

What is ‘phlb’ ?!?

the phlb executable is the similar to django manage.py, but it always used the PyHardLinkBackup settings.

Why in hell do you use django?!?

• Well, just because of the great database ORM and the Admin Site ;)

How to go into the django admin?

$ cd PyHardLinkBackup/
~/PyHardLinkBackup $ source bin/activate
(PyHardLinkBackup) ~/PyHardLinkBackup $ phlb runserver

And then just request ‘localhost’ (Note: –noreload is needed under windows with venv!)

TODO

• copy file meta data like owner, mode etc.

• handle symlinks

• Quick Backup: Don’t check the content, just compare file size + modification date

• create boot_pyhardlinkbackup.sh script for linux

• write docs

• write more tests

• activate CI

• Far future: Add a GUI

Links

• https://pypi.python.org/pypi/PyHardlinkBackup/

• https://www.python-forum.de/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=37723 (de)