Simplebackup, cross-platform backup program.

Simplebackup is a cross-platform backup program. It reads a configuration file, then it builds a compressed file for each of your backup directories or files on your backup list, and places the compressed files into another location.

For example, this location can be a network mapped drive in Windows, an NFS mounted drive in Unix, another hard disk, an FTP, SFTP (Secure FTP / SSH2), A HTTP (WebDav) server, or more email accounts, or a tape device (Unix only). This will duplicate your information, doing the so called "backup".

This program, is under GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Version 2, June 1991. You may used it for free, but remember No Warranties.

To access the simplebackup Forum, Mailing list, News, Bug Tracking System, etc click Here (simplebackup source forge area). 

Screenshots everyone want's screenshots hehehe, here they are (from stable version 1.6.0)

Simple intro screen (In Windows XP), the --help parameter can be used to get the full cmd line help.

Testing a configuration file (In Windows XP), In this case the backup mode is full. The directories c:\windows and c:\program files are going to get reject has all excel files (*.xls) under c:\my documents, globally all mp3 and wav files are going to get rejected and every file named pagefile.sys is also going to get rejected. Finnaly simplebackup will refuse to do backup that are over 1024000 Kbytes.

Testing a configuration file with ftp backup (In WindowsXP), notice that non standard ftp ports are supported.

Testing a configuration file with mail backup (In WindowsXP) into several email accounts, notice that non standard smtp ports are supported.

Doing a backup (In Windows XP).

Showing the restore menu, available under the manual restore mode. Please notice that other restore modes are available.

Simple intro screen (In Linux), the --help parameter can be used to get the full cmd line help

Testing a configuration file (In Linux). The incremental backup shall go into a nfs drive mounted by simplebackup just before starting the backup, some backup file selections with the rejection are used. Finally notice since simplebackup is running under Linux the /proc file system is automaticly rejected.

Testing a configuration file with ftp backup (In Linux).

Testing a configuration file with mail backup (In Linux) into several email accounts.

Doing a backup (In Linux).

Showing the restore menu, available under the manual restore mode. Please notice that other restore modes are available.

Features

Support for three backup modes: full, incremental and differential. Restores can be made automatically or manually using text menus. Can create syncing mechanisms across different systems, even unix to windows or windows to unix. Support for several backup formats (rar, 7z, zip, tar, tar.Z, tar.gz, tar.bz2). Can encrypt the backup data using a build in encryption algorithm, the SimpleCrypt algorithm. The SimpleCrypt algorithm is also available has the separated simplecrypt program included in the simplebackup package. This program can be used to encrypt/decrypt any file desired. Creates separate backup files for each backup directory or file on the backup list. Can read the backup list from a separated text file. Can read the restore list from a separated text file, even with the use of wild cards and with the definition of the restore path. Backups can be made on a type of system (example windows) and restored on a different type (example linux). Allows the selection of the compression ratio. Can reject files and directories by full paths, even with the use of wild cards. Can reject files by file type/extention. Can reject files by full name. Can reject files by size limit, example only backup files up to 1 Megabyte. Can limit the maximal size of the backup data, this can control the amount of data that will flow into the backup destination. Can backup into ftp servers, and make use a ftp proxy (must be in open mode). Can backup into ssh/sftp servers with or without the use of public/private keys. This backup mode uses ssh2 encryption so it's very safe to use across the internet. Can backup into http web-dav servers. Can backup by email into one or more email accounts. Under unix operating systems it can backup into tape devices, but beware that this feature is experimental. Also related to tape devices, it can execute any command desired before and after writing to tape, example mt -t /dev/tape0 rewind. Works fully unattended, so you can easily program a at/cron job (unix) or task scheduler (windows). Automatic backup session management, old backup data can be automatically erased. Can run a script/batch file/command before the backup, example, you can use this feature to shut-down the database and free the data files for backup. Can run a script/batch file/command after the backup, again a example, you can use this feature to bring the database back on-line. Can run a script/batch file/command before the restore, example, you can use this feature to shut-down the database and free the data files for restore. Can run a script/batch file/command after the restore, again a example, you can use this feature to bring the database back on-line. Can send backup reports by e-mail (using smtp mail servers only). Very detailed log information. Build in debug to help in the detection of possible bugs or problems. Can export the backup reports into any external program(s) or command(s). Can log all operations into a file that can be consulted latter.

Requirements

At least one of the following programs on your operating system $PATH variable : Requirement Notes Perl 5.6.1 or over *1 If running simplebackup or simplecrypt with the Perl version [ simplebackup.pl ; simplecrypt.pl ]. rar/winrar 3.6 or over For the creation of rar type of archive backups. 7-Zip v4.42 or over For the creation of 7z type of archive backups. info-zip zip 2.3 or over For the creation of zip type of archive backups (A windows version of info-zip, zip v2.3.1 and unzip 5.53 is included with the simplebackup package) *2. info-zip unzip 5.52 or over For the creation of zip type of archive backups (A windows version of info-zip, zip v2.3.1 and unzip 5.53 is included with the simplebackup package) *2. tar For the creation of tar type of archive backups, *3. tar and compress For the creation of tar.Z type of archive backups, *3. tar and gzip For the creation of tar.gz type of archive backups, *3. tar and bzip2 For the creation of tar.bz2 type of archive backups, *3. Openssh sftp For secure ftp (sftp) backup when using the sftp transport (sftp_transport = sftp), this is usually used on Unix systems. Putty psftp For secure ftp (sftp) backup when using the sftp transport (sftp_transport = psftp), this is on Windows systems only *2. cat For passing the backup or restore list into the archive command *4. vi For editing configuration files and showing the log file *4. type For passing the backup or restore list into the archive command *5. notepad For editing configuration files and showing the log file *5. *1 - The use of Perl 5.8.x is recommended, mainly because of all the Perl improvements and bug fixes and to fully support unicode (required by the rar and 7-Zip formats). *2 - The Windows compiled version [ simplebackup.exe ] features build in zip archive support and sftp backup/support support, for more info check the faq "Q. What is build into [ simplebackup.exe ] ?" on the simplebackup documentation. *3 - Notice there are two differente ways to support tar under simplebackup, standard tar (tar ; tar.Z ; tar.gz ; tar.bz2), or "advanced" tar (advanced_tar ; advanced_tar.Z ; advanced_tar.gz ; advanced_tar.bz2), for more info check the faq "Q. What is the difference between standard tar and advanced tar ?" on the simplebackup documentation. *4 - This is a standard command for the Unix operating system. *5 - This is a standard command for the Windows operating system.

Runs On (Portability)

Should run on almost all Unix systems. Microsoft Windows NT 4, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003.

Tested Systems & Results

. System Compatible Notes Microsoft Windows 95/98 No lack of file locking ability. Microsoft Windows Millennium Unknown Operating system was not tested. Microsoft Windows NT4 Yes Need to install Perl 5.6.1 or over *1, or use the Win32 compiled version (simplebackup.exe / simplecrypt.exe). It might be needed to install some extra Perl modules if using the Perl version (simplebackup.pl), check the requirements for more details. Microsoft Windows 2000 Yes Need to install Perl 5.6.1 or over *1, or use the Win32 compiled version (simplebackup.exe / simplecrypt.exe). It might be needed to install some extra Perl modules if using the Perl version (simplebackup.pl), check the requirements for more details. Microsoft Windows XP Yes Need to install Perl 5.6.1 or over *1, or use the Win32 compiled version (simplebackup.exe / simplecrypt.exe). It might be needed to install some extra Perl modules if using the Perl version (simplebackup.pl), check the requirements for more details. Microsoft Windows 2003 Yes Need to install Perl 5.6.1 or over *1, or use the Win32 compiled version (simplebackup.exe / simplecrypt.exe). It might be needed to install some extra Perl modules if using the Perl version (simplebackup.pl), check the requirements for more details. Microsoft Windows Vista Unknown Operating system was not tested. Redhat 8.0 Linux Yes It might be needed to install some extra Perl modules, check the requirements for more details. Redhat 9.0 Linux Yes It might be needed to install some extra Perl modules, check the requirements for more details. SuSe 8.1 Linux Yes It might be needed to install some extra Perl modules, check the requirements for more details. SuSe 9.1 Linux Yes It might be needed to install some extra Perl modules, check the requirements for more details. Openbsd 3.5 Yes It might be needed to install some extra Perl modules, check the requirements for more details. Openbsd 3.6 Yes It might be needed to install some extra Perl modules, check the requirements for more details. Openbsd 3.8 Yes It might be needed to install some extra Perl modules, check the requirements for more details. FreeBsd 4.1.0 Unknown Operating system was not tested. It requires a perl version upgrade since the one build in is far to old. FreeBsd 5.2.1 Yes It might be needed to install some extra Perl modules, check the requirements for more details. The Perl libnet module is definitely required to use ftp/email backups and email reporting. Mac OS/X Unknown Operating system was not tested, but success runs have been reported by some users. HP-UX Unknown Operating system was not tested, but the tar command is very limited so tar or tar like backups will not work with simplebackup. Solaris 10 Yes It might be needed to install some extra Perl modules, check the requirements for more details. Aix Unknown Operating system was not tested. Other Unix's Unknown Since simplebackup is a Perl program it should work on almost all Unix like systems. If you liked this article, subscribe to the feed by clicking the image below to keep informed about new contents of the blog: