Backup: NewBee Question

[Mark]

On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 1:27 PM, MirJafar Ali <mirjafarali at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> Sorry for asking a stupid question. There are so many software for backup data and even the
> Seagate hardrives provide software with jazzy word "continuous backup"
>
> I am old Unix person and know only "cp" command. I am curious to know why there are so
> many backup software.  Isn't "cp" command enough for making copies of the data. What are
> the compelling reasons to use backup software ?
>
Let me reverse the question to you - does cp do *everything* you want
when you make a backup, including copy only files that have been
changed, create an archive (let alone a compressed one), backup across
a network or even to a tape (or similar backup device) drive?  Does it
copy the right set of files every time or do you have to tailor your
command set to isolate the files you want backed up?  Does it create a
target directory if there isn't one?

Yes, these are mostly things you can do around cp, but why?

Base line: do you use cp for all your backups without any other
command involved?

> Even in the Unix world, what is the difference between "cp" and "rsync" command ?
>
I strongly recommend the man pages for cp and rsync - they should
answer this question nicely, and there are of course many other
references.

> I hope Ubuntu community is not offended by this silly question.
>
I wouldn't call it silly.

I would (strongly) recommend you do at least a little more research
before asking a question with so many possible ramifications that are
(nearly) all rather well-documented in various places.

(And if that wasn't entirely clear, then I refer you to a couple of
common elements of UNIX parlance, RTFM and STFW, before asking a
question *you* consider to be "silly."  Remember, GIYF....  :-)