I recently lost my /home directory and realized I need a proper backup strategy. I'm a beginner using Debian, and I'd like recommendations for reliable backup tools and methods. I currently don't have another computer or an external hard drive, so I'd also like to know what I can do with only my current system and possibly cloud storage.
4 Answers
If you don’t have another drive, cloud storage is the only meaningful backup option for now. A second partition or another folder on the same disk is not a real backup because disk failure, accidental deletion, or malware could affect both copies. Even a basic encrypted cloud backup of your most important files is better than keeping everything only on the computer.
Try to follow the 3-2-1 rule: keep three copies of your data, on at least two types of storage, with one copy stored somewhere else. For example, your computer, an external drive, and an encrypted cloud backup. Whatever tool you choose, periodically test restoring files—an untested backup may not be usable when you need it.
BorgBackup is a solid Linux choice, especially if you want encrypted, deduplicated backups. Vorta provides a graphical interface for Borg if you don’t want to work entirely from the terminal. Keep one backup locally and another copy somewhere off-site, such as a compatible storage provider.
Restic is another beginner-friendly command-line option. It can create encrypted, deduplicated backups and upload them to various cloud or S3-compatible storage services. You can schedule it with cron. For personal documents and photos, cloud storage may be affordable, but backing up large video collections can become expensive.
An external drive would still be worth getting when possible. It gives you a local copy that can be restored quickly, while the cloud copy protects against theft, damage, or hardware failure.