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I have been thinking about using my ubuntu server as a backup server with the backup software running on the server rather than the individual client machines. It seems to me that it would be easier to administer if it were located in a central location. And since I am about the only one is my house that even remotely cares about backup, I could make sure it actually gets done around here. So my question is: Is there an application like this that will run on an Ubuntu server, is easy to setup and intuitive to administer(I am linux challenged)?

Hey! Welcome to the Forums!
There's a couple ways to go about the whole back-up thing. I personally store all the really important files on the server anyway, so that I can access them from any computer, so between RAID and a separate USB Backup, they're fairly redundantly safe, barring a fire, or some other catastrophe. I think this is probably the easiest way since you don't have to deal with network file transfers very often. But as Far as Automated Back-ups are concerned, you have a few options. The one I tried out when I initially went that route was BackupPC. It's the only one I've seen on the 'net that doesn't require any client-side software. You just have to make the folders you wish to backup available to the network via windows file sharing on Windows, or Samba on Linux. then you point BackupPC at the shares you want backed up and forget about it.

The other one I've heard good things about but have never tried myself is Bacula. I know literally nothing about it, but I've seen many people who swear by it in other forums.

Other than that I saw Ian promoting SyncBack Freeware in a separate thread, though I think it's client-side software, not server-side. (it's the thread right below this one, if you'd like to check it out).

If none of these work for you, you can always create your own rsync script on the server to check for changes in a folder and pull them to the server. This is obviously a bit more complicated and requires some serious command-line-fu. If you decide this is the option that makes the most sense though, come on back and I'm sure we can help you piece together a pretty decent script.

Keep us posted on how things are working, and which way you decide to go!

Russ