Linux housekeeping: Handling archives and backups

Most system administrators know the importance of backing up data - but what should you do with all the backups and archives you've created to ensure that they remain secure? Find out in this article.

Every sysadmin knows, or should know, that performing and managing backups is an essential part of being a system administrator. If you read 5 Linux backup and restore tips from the trenches, you know how to perform and manage backups. But managing the space required to perform those backups is a very different topic. This is part of Linux housekeeping that you need to consider in your daily workflow.

In this article, I touch on critical pieces of backup management such as location, retention, disposal and disposition, and automation. Your environment and policies will dictate solutions that you implement for backup space management, but these guidelines and recommendations will help you if you're struggling to handle a growing amount of idle data stored on your network.