When we first got the task to modernize our backup strategy at my company, I definitely underestimated it because getting a decent backup solution seemed like a straightforward job. Well, the market is full and diverse — anyone can see. But if only it were that easy. I was not looking for something out of the ordinary. I wanted a solution that simply did what it had to do without too much involvement from me. That’s why a well-developed automation feature was crucial. It is an essential factor as sometimes our workloads can get too overwhelming, and we don’t really get the time to watch over backups all day.
And a small disclaimer for those who think that you don’t need a backup solution at all. Of course, you might say that your machines have several partitions or that you have external hard drives to store critical information, or that you have some cloud-based solutions. That’s something, sure, but the biggest trick with data loss is that you never know when it might hit.
With that said, let’s dive into the selection of backup solutions for Linux environments that my colleagues and I tried and were satisfied with.
1. NAKIVO Backup & Replication
NAKIVO Backup & Replication was my biggest discovery. It is a reliable, lightweight, all-in-one software with a user-friendly interface for various environments that allows you to back up both Linux servers and workstations. The recovery process was surprisingly fast and easy, so it is perfect if you can’t permit downtime. In addition to comprehensive functionality, the pricing is one of the most affordable out there. I first tried the full-featured free trial, but they also have a Free Edition if it suits you better.
Key features:
- You get multiple backup destinations, including tape backups.
- Incremental and app-aware backups make the whole data management process more efficient.
- You can create P2V recovery — recover your Linux machines as VMware vSphere VMs. This allows you to manage the workloads much more efficiently.
- Backups are fast and efficient thanks to network acceleration and LAN-free data transfer.
- Automated backups and advanced bandwidth throttling help you avoid network overloads.
- Save storage space with built-in features, such as data compression and global deduplication.
- Granular recovery allows you to restore a particular file quickly without performing full recovery.
2. Bacula
Bacula is open-source software. It offers automation features that minimize interaction from your side. Apart from Linux, Bacula supports UNIX and Windows. The configuration can be done via GUI, web interface, or command-line console. The only issue I see is that this solution is quite complex. It includes a lot of documentation and requires profound Linux knowledge.
Key features:
- You get Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) backups.
- The combination of command-line and GUI interfaces offers flexibility.
- Transport Layer Security (TLS) authentication is one of the ways to strengthen security and protection.
- You can script both pre- or post-backup tasks to adjust to your workflow as needed.
- For the enterprise environment, you will get a yearly report with recommendations on backup optimization.
3. Duplicity
Duplicity is a free open-source solution. This software uses the librsync library to simplify the delta-compression of network streams and files. It creates encrypted volumes in tar format and backs them over SSH. Duplicity also offers incremental backup, saving storage space.
Key features:
- Easy-to-use solution that doesn’t require an additional learning curve.
- Bandwidth throttling allows you to avoid overloads.
- You can encrypt and sign archives.
- Several features help you optimize storage space usage.
- Optionally, you can use remote protocol functionality.
4. MSP 360
MSP 360 provides backup and recovery services to managed service providers. You may know it as CloudBerry Lab. You get a convenient management portal that monitors and controls all backup and restoration processes from a single web console. In addition, MSP 360 offers remote desktop services, which can come in handy for software setups, fixes, research, and analytics performed remotely.
Key features:
- Backup to several destinations, such as a public cloud, internal hard disks, external hard drives, USBs, NAS devices, and network drives.
- Data transfer to the cloud is encrypted.
- Verify the recoverability of your backups to ensure painless recovery.
- Use the solution with Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Backblaze B2, and Wasabi.
- Backup scheduling and automated retention policies help you save time and optimize resources.
5. Barracuda
A former colleague assured me that Barracuda is a good choice for small businesses. For Linux backup, you would have to install Barracuda Backup Agent for Linux or perform a network file share backup through Secure SHell FileSystem (SSHFS). This solution is understandable and flexible. However, take into account that you can’t back up some of the system directories, such as /proc, /sys, /dev, and /snap.
Key features:
- Back up the most common Linux distros (Red Hat, Ubuntu, and SUSE.)
- A backup agent for Linux enables you to take snapshots of your entire data such as files, drives, and partitions with no interruptions to the production process.
- Includes ransomware protection features.
- You get email alerts if something goes wrong with backup or restoration.
6. Rsync
If you’re a dedicated Linux user, most probably you’ve heard about Rsync and its usability. And if you’re a Linux terminal lover, then your only question would be why I haven’t mentioned this solution in the first place. I understand Linux enthusiasts’ excitement entirely as Rsync is a command-line tool that allows you to automate backups using scripts and cron jobs. It also offers a GUI version called Grsync for less advanced users. However, using Grsync barely makes sense unless you want a smooth transition to Rsync.
Key features:
- Requires minimal storage space to execute its functions efficiently.
- You get incremental backups paired with the scheduling feature.
- Support works for both remote and local backups.
- Ownership and file permissions that you set once remain preserved.
7. N-ABLE
N-able (formerly Solarwinds Backup) is a full-stack data management solution, mainly targeted at MSPs. The solution incorporates an MSP management platform, cyber protection, remote monitoring and support, standardized problem-solving solutions, analytics, backup, and recovery. You get efficient incremental backups of your Linux servers with simple navigation and easy scalability. As for the downsides, I’ve noticed that the search feature is rather weak, plus they offer less documentation than their competitors.
Key features:
- Store your Linux backup locally, in a public cloud, offsite, or in a private cloud.
- Customize retention policies to suit your business needs, save storage space, and retain all of your critical data.
- Set up automatic backups of your MySQL data.
- Get email alerts in case some issue arises.
8. Rubrik
Rubrik is a simple yet pretty effective solution focused on delivering immutable, ransomware-proofed, and automated backups. The interface is user-friendly. You can perform a bare metal recovery of your Linux data. The software offers both global deduplication and data compression, but these features can be improved, which is a common request from Rubrik users.
Key features:
- Create ISO images automatically.
- Perform granular recovery without full restoration.
- Ensure data protection with a role-based access control (RBAC) feature.
- If you use several OSs, you can manage them from a single console.
9. Commvault
Commvault offers end-to-end protection for your Linux systems. However, to run Linux backups, you should install a Linux File System Agent so you can manage your data easily from one place. I like that you get full reports about all of your backup jobs, and you can customize those reports to cater to any specific needs. In addition, you can automatically generate your backup and recovery reports in any format and have them sent to you via email. However, the interface is confusing and what I found very frustrating is that you have to restore an entire database to recover one table only.
Key features:
- Uses the Intellisnap tool to produce full, incremental, and differential backups. Intellisnap generates a point-in-time snapshot for a backup.
- Point-in-time restoration is useful in case of disaster, cyber attack, or system failure.
- The archiving is automatic.
- Advanced data search allows you to find files you need more efficiently.
- If your machines get compromised or become unavailable, you can failover to a different location and resume your operations.
10. Actifio
Actifio is notable for almost no impact on production systems and easy deployment. The administration overhead is relatively low. The backup and recovery processes are fast, thanks to the features like global deduplication. I’ve also been told that the support is helpful and prompt, but I never tried it myself. I noticed that there is no single-file restoration. And another potential issue is physical server recovery. It’s archivable but quite tricky.
Key features:
- Your private data, such as names or personal records, are protected from being publicly exposed by applying encryption to any data transfer.
- Works with extensive databases, NAS devices, and big data loads.
- Recover to any location, including the cloud.
- Automate backup policies to save time.
Conclusion
As you see, there are several decent solutions out there. To be honest, I’ve been quite surprised that Linux backup and recovery software got so diverse and powerful. We settled our choice on NAKIVO Backup & Replication as it offered everything our company was looking for, and even more, at one of the most affordable prices on the market. The other solutions are different, but they also have their pros. So I hope you will find your perfect fit after reading this comparison. Good luck with making a choice! If you are still doubting, just try multiple free trials or free editions. It helped us for sure. If you are already using some backup and recovery software, what is it? Write in the comments below. I would be curious to discover new options. Cheers!
