Knowledgebase

Amanda is a popular open-source network backup solution that simplifies the management of backup processes. It can backup data from multiple client machines and store it on a single backup server. Amanda supports multiple storage media, including tape drives, disk storage, and cloud-based storage. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of installing and configuring Amanda on your AnonVM server to back up your network's data efficiently.

Table of Contents

1. Prerequisites
2. What is Amanda?
3. Installing Amanda on AnonVM
4. Configuring Amanda Server and Clients
5. Setting Up Backup Schedules
6. Running Amanda Backup Jobs
7. Restoring Data with Amanda
8. Troubleshooting Amanda

1. Prerequisites

Before starting the installation of Amanda, ensure the following prerequisites:

• Operating System: This tutorial is based on a Linux distribution such as Ubuntu or CentOS.
• Root or Sudo Access: You need root privileges to install and configure Amanda.
• Backup Storage: You need an external storage solution such as a disk or tape drive, or even cloud storage, to store your backups.
• Network Connectivity: Amanda operates over a network, so ensure all clients and the backup server can communicate properly.

2. What is Amanda?

Amanda (Advanced Maryland Automatic Network Disk Archiver) is an open-source backup solution designed for managing backups across a network. It enables you to schedule backups for multiple clients and manage those backups through a centralized server. Amanda supports:

• Backup of multiple systems: Amanda can back up various operating systems, including Linux, BSD, Solaris, and Windows.
• Backup to multiple storage devices: Tape drives, disk storage, and cloud services like Amazon S3 can be used for storing backups.
• Automated backup and restore: You can automate backups to run on specific schedules and restore data when needed.

Amanda’s modular approach allows flexibility in choosing the best backup strategies, making it ideal for businesses with multiple servers and large amounts of data.

3. Installing Amanda on AnonVM

We will first install Amanda on your AnonVM server, which will act as the backup server. Then, we'll configure the clients to back up data to this server.

Step 1: Update Your System

Start by updating your system’s package index:

Step 2: Install Amanda Server

To install the Amanda backup server and necessary tools, use the following command:

This will install both the server-side and client-side components of Amanda.

Step 3: Install Amanda Client (on backup clients)

To back up clients to your Amanda server, install the Amanda client on each machine you want to back up:

4. Configuring Amanda Server and Clients

Now that Amanda is installed on your server and client machines, the next step is to configure the server and clients for backup.

Step 1: Configure Amanda Server

1. Edit the Amanda Configuration File:

   The main configuration file for Amanda is located at /etc/amanda/amanda.conf. Open this file with a text editor:

    

   sudo nano /etc/amanda/amanda.conf

   In this file, define the following settings:

   • dumpuser: The user that will run backup jobs. By default, this is amandabackup.
   • indexdir: The directory to store backup indexes (default is /var/lib/amanda).
   • tapedev: Specify the storage device (e.g., /dev/nst0 for tape devices or a disk directory path like /mnt/backups for disk storage).
   • hostname: Set the server hostname that clients will connect to.
   • dumpcycle: Set the frequency of full backups.

   Example:

    

   # The dumpuser that will perform backups dumpuser "amandabackup" # Location for storing backup index files indexdir "/var/lib/amanda" # Storage device location (for example, a disk folder for backups) tapedev "/mnt/backups" # Backup schedule dumpcycle 7 days

2. Configure Amanda to Allow Client Connections:

   Open /etc/amanda/hosts and add the names or IP addresses of the client machines you want to back up.

   Example:

    

   backup-client1 backup-client2

Step 2: Configure Amanda Clients

1. Edit the Client Configuration File:

   On each client machine, you need to configure the Amanda client by editing the /etc/amanda/amanda.conf file:

    

   sudo nano /etc/amanda/amanda.conf

   Set the following parameters:

   • hostname: The hostname or IP address of the Amanda backup server.
   • taper: The storage device (it should match the server’s tapedev configuration).

   Example:

    

   # Set the backup server hostname hostname "amanda-server.example.com" # Set the storage device location taper "/mnt/backups"

2. Add Clients to hosts File on Server:

   On the server, open /etc/amanda/hosts and add each client’s IP or hostname:

    

   backup-client1 backup-client2

5. Setting Up Backup Schedules

Once Amanda is installed and configured, set up your backup schedule.

Step 1: Configure Backup Schedule

Backup schedules are defined in /etc/amanda/amanda.conf using the daily, weekly, and monthly parameters. You can define the frequency of full and incremental backups. For example:

Step 2: Start Amanda Backup Service

After configuring the backup schedules, restart the Amanda service on the server:

6. Running Amanda Backup Jobs

Once everything is configured, run Amanda backup jobs using the following steps.

1. Run Backup from Amanda Console:

   Amanda uses amdump to run backup jobs. To start the backup process, use:

    

   sudo amdump DailySet1

   Replace DailySet1 with the name of your backup set, as defined in your configuration.

2. Monitor Backup Process:

   You can monitor the backup process using amcheck:

    

   sudo amcheck DailySet1

7. Restoring Data with Amanda

To restore files from a backup, use the amrecover command.

1. Start Restore Process:

   Launch the amrecover tool:

    

   sudo amrecover DailySet1

2. Select Files to Restore:

   Use the amrecover interface to select which files to restore from the available backup sets.

8. Troubleshooting Amanda

If you encounter issues, follow these steps to troubleshoot:

• Check Logs: Review the logs in /var/log/amanda/ for error messages.
• Network Connectivity: Ensure that the client machines can communicate with the backup server over the network.
• Permissions: Verify that the amandabackup user has the correct permissions to access the backup files and directories.

Conclusion

With this tutorial, you should now have a working Amanda backup system installed and configured on your AnonVM server. Amanda’s open-source nature, ease of use, and flexibility make it a great choice for managing backups in both small and large networks. By following this guide, you can set up an automated backup system that ensures your data is protected and easily restorable when needed.