[NTLUG:Discuss] using dd to perform full backups

[Jack Snodgrass]

On Fri, 2003-12-05 at 18:00, NTLUG wrote:
> On Fri, 2003-12-05 at 16:13, Robert Citek wrote:
> > To create an image of a partition (/dev/hda1) is fairly straightforward:
> >    dd if=/dev/hda1 of=/tmp/part1.img
> 
> I have heard (or at least I think I have) of people using dd as a backup
> method.  Does anyone have any experience with this?  How well does it
> work, what are the limitations?  Obviously the benefits are its a
> complete image of the drive so the machine can be immediately re-created
> in a disaster.

dd assumes the same or similar drive geometry. 
I like to use tar if I have to create a file or 
use rsync if I have a backup drive ready to go that 
I want to keep in sync. 

jack