ftpbackup Files

Why ftpbackup?
==============

If  you  don't  have adequate backup facilities on your current host (or
server), you  can  now conveniantly use ftp backup to back to or restore
from another systems disk or tape drive by using its ftp server.

The  ftp  client  program by itself will not do this for you, unless you
have enough disk space to create a file to transfer first.  The standard
ftp  client  program only knows how to transfer existing files.  This is
why ftpbackup is needed.

By  piping  the  backup  from  cpio  or  tar  (or your favourite trusted
utility)  into  ftpbackup, it  is able to  transfer  your backup data to
another  hosts  disk  or  its  tape drive.  The reverse  can be done for
restores.

Every  self respecting UNIX system has a ftp server.  This saves you the
hassle of  porting a special application to each remote system you might
use for this purpose.

See file CHANGES, for what's new in this release.


Command Options:
================

See next section for quick start if you're in a hurry.

See  file INSTALL for make instructions (real easy for Linux: 'make' and
then 'make install').


$ ftpbackup --help

ftpbackup -h host [-P port] -u userid [-p pw] [-d dir] [-D] [-x] <mode>

	-h host		ftp host name to connect to
	-P port		port # to use (defaults to 21)
	-u userid	account userid (defaults as anonymous)
	-p passwd	password

Other options:
	-x		ftp debug messages to stderr
	-d dir		Change working directory to dir
	-D		Make the directory if it does not exist.
	--help		Print help message and exit
	--version	Print version info and exit

Mode:
	-b filename	Backup to remote filename from stdin
	-r filename	Restore from remote filename to stdout

The host name defaults to localhost, so that you can test it out on your
own local ftp server. The ftp port number defaults to the normal port 21
for ftp.

The  userid  defaults  to "anonymous" if you don't supply the -u option.
The password option  if not  supplied  on  the  command line  with -p is
prompted  from  the  terminal.  Note  that  -p  option  is  necessary if
ftpbackup is  run  in the  background without a controlling terminal (it
will be unable to prompt for a password).

Normally  you  don't  want  to  supply  passwords  on a command line for
obvious  security  reasons,  but  you  DO want to do this if its just an
anonymous  login (your password is usually just an email address in this
case).

The  -d  option is optional.  When given, ftpbackup first sends a change
directory  command  to  the  ftp server,  so that you can operate in the
correct remote ftp directory for your backup or restore operation.

The  -D option is new.  If the directory specified by the -d option does
not  exist,  the  -D  option  tells ftpbackup to  attempt  to  create  a
directory first (only the last level directory is created however).

Finally  your  mode  of  operation must be given: either -b or -r option
must  be given and followed by the remote filename to use (this can be a
pathname).  All ftp transfers  are  explicitly set to use BINARY (image)
transfers.


Quick Start (Examples):
=======================

Backup using cpio and ftpbackup

# find /home/myhome -print | cpio -ocv | ftpbackup -h host -u myid -d /pub/mystuff/ -b myhome.cpio
host Password: ....

In  this example, the cpio backup output is piped into ftpbackup so that
it can store your backup on the remote host 'host', using userid 'myid',
under remote directory /pub/mystuff/, into remote file name myhome.cpio.

Since no -p option was given, the user is prompted from the terminal for
the password (it does not echo, unless the userid is anonymous).


Restore using ftpbackup and cpio

# ftpbackup -h host -u myid -r /pub/mystuff/myhome.cpio | cpio -icv
host Password: ....

In  this  case,  ftpbackup opens remote file /pub/mystuff/myhome.cpio to
retrieve and pass to cpio via its standard output.  Notice here, that we
demonstrated a pathname in the -r option which allowed us to drop the -d
option for the directory. Either way is valid.


Backup using Tar and Gzip to Remote Tape:

# tar cvf - / | gzip | ftpbackup -h host -u myid -b /dev/rmt/0cn

In  this  example,  we used tar to perform a backup of the entire system
(starting with  root),  compressed  the data using gzip, and storing the
backup on remote tape drive /dev/rmt/0cn.

NOTE  HOWEVER(!),  that  ftpbackup  is  not  able to rewind tapes, erase
tapes,  set  densities,  or do multi-volume backups. The limitation here
rests  with the remote server which is your standard ftp server.  Normal
ftp servers are not equipped to do this sort of thing.


License:
========

Gnu Public License 2