Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure the following components are in place:

BackupNinja Installed

Verify BackupNinja is installed on your Linux server.

Command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install backupninja

• Common Errors & Solutions:

• Error: "Unable to locate package backupninja"
  • Ensure your repositories are up-to-date:

    sudo apt update

  • Enable the universe repository on Ubuntu/Debian systems:

    sudo add-apt-repository universe

SMB Share Configured on the Windows Machine

1. Create a shared folder (e.g., BackupShare).
2. Set folder permissions to grant the Linux server access:
   • Go to Properties → Sharing → Advanced Sharing.
   • Check "Share this folder" and set permissions for a specific user.
3. Note the share path and credentials for the Linux server.

Common Errors & Solutions:

• Error: "Permission denied" when accessing the share
  • Double-check share permissions and ensure the user has read/write access.
  • Ensure the Windows firewall allows SMB traffic.
  • Confirm that SMBv1 is disabled on the Windows machine (use SMBv2 or SMBv3).

Database Credentials

Gather the necessary credentials for your databases (MySQL/PostgreSQL). Verify that the user has sufficient privileges to perform backups.

MySQL Privileges Check:

SHOW GRANTS FOR 'backupuser'@'localhost';

PostgreSQL Privileges Check:

psql -U postgres -c "\du"

Install cifs-utils Package on Linux

The cifs-utils package is essential for mounting SMB shares.

Command:

sudo apt install cifs-utils

Step 1: Configure the /etc/backup.d Directory

Navigate to the directory:

cd /etc/backup.d/

Step 2: Create a Configuration File for Backing Up /var/www

Create the backup task file:

sudo nano /etc/backup.d/01-var-www.rsync

Configuration Example:

[general]
when = everyday at 02:00

[rsync]
source = /var/www/
destination = //WINDOWS-MACHINE/BackupShare/www/
options = -a --delete
smbuser = windowsuser
smbpassword = windowspassword

Additional Tips:

• Use IP address instead of hostname for reliability (e.g., //192.168.1.100/BackupShare/www/).
• Consider using a credential file for security instead of plaintext credentials.

Credential File Method:

1. Create the file:

   sudo nano /etc/backup.d/smb.credentials

2. Add credentials:

   username=windowsuser
   password=windowspassword

3. Update your backup configuration:

   smbcredentials = /etc/backup.d/smb.credential

Step 3: Create a Configuration File for Database Backups

For MySQL:

sudo nano /etc/backup.d/02-databases.mysqldump

Example Configuration:

[general]
when = everyday at 03:00

[mysqldump]
user = backupuser
password = secretpassword
host = localhost
databases = --all-databases
compress = true
destination = //WINDOWS-MACHINE/BackupShare/mysql/all-databases.sql.gz
smbuser = windowsuser
smbpassword = windowspassword

For PostgreSQL:

sudo nano /etc/backup.d/02-databases.pgsql

Example Configuration:

[general]
when = everyday at 03:00

[pg_dump]
user = postgres
host = localhost
all = yes
compress = true
destination = //WINDOWS-MACHINE/BackupShare/pgsql/all-databases.sql.gz
smbuser = windowsuser
smbpassword = windowspassword

Step 4: Verify the Backup Configuration

Run a configuration check:

sudo backupninja --check

Check Output:

• Ensure no syntax errors or missing parameters.
• If issues arise, check the log at /var/log/backupninja.log.

Step 5: Test the Backup Manually

sudo backupninja --run

Verify the Backup on the Windows Machine:
Check the BackupShare folder for your /var/www and database backups.

Common Errors & Solutions:

• Error: "Permission denied"
  • Ensure the Linux server can access the share:

    sudo mount -t cifs //WINDOWS-MACHINE/BackupShare /mnt -o username=windowsuser,password=windowspassword

  • Check /var/log/syslog or /var/log/messages for SMB-related errors.

Step 6: Automate the Backup with Cron

BackupNinja automatically sets up cron jobs based on the when parameter.

Verify cron jobs:

sudo crontab -l

If necessary, restart the cron service:

sudo systemctl restart cron

Step 7: Secure the Backup Files

1. Set Share Permissions: Restrict access to authorized users only.
2. Encrypt Backups: Use GPG to encrypt backup files.

Example GPG Command:

gpg --encrypt --recipient 'your-email@example.com' backup-file.sql.gz

Step 8: Monitor Backup Logs

Regularly check BackupNinja logs for any errors:

tail -f /var/log/backupninja.log

Additional Enhancements:

Mount the SMB Share at Boot

Add the SMB share to /etc/fstab to automatically mount it at boot.

Example Entry in /etc/fstab:

//192.168.1.100/BackupShare /mnt/backup cifs credentials=/etc/backup.d/smb.credentials,iocharset=utf8,sec=ntlm 0 0

Security Recommendations:

• Use SSH tunneling for database backups to enhance security.
• Regularly rotate credentials and secure your smb.credentials file:

  sudo chmod 600 /etc/backup.d/smb.credential