Intro
If you want a disaster recovery for a Linux server (Debian here), you can find some very nasty tools on the web. The one I’m using for ages already, is Mondo (and Mindi).
For a Debian 5 Lenny server, go to ftp://ftp.mondorescue.org/debian/ and download the packages mindi, mindi-busybox and mondo. Of course they have some dependencies you’ll lto install together with your downloaded packages.
Once they are installed you can choose between 2 backup types:
USB disk
By creating a boot-able USB disk, here with a 750GB USK disk:
mondoarchive -O -E "/mondo" -U -d /dev/sdc -s 745g -T "/mondo/tmp/"Boot from that USB disk and you’ll have your server again.
CD/DVD
By creating boot-able ISO files, here 4GB DVD ISO files:
mondoarchive -iO -E "/mondo" -s 4g -S "/mondo/iso/" -T "/mondo/tmp/" -d "/mondo/"Of course, folders /mondo, /mondo/iso and /mondo/tmp have to exist already.
In case you chose for the ISO option, you will find your boot-able ISO files inside /mondo.
Burn them on DVD:
cdrecord -v --dev=3,0,0 mondorescue-1.iso (run cdrecord -scanbus to identify your burner)Boot from that DVD in case of a Disaster Recovery, and there you have your server again, just like it was when you took the mondoarchive!
The end
Most important for Disaster Recovery, test it before you need it!!!