BackupPC: The Kind of Backup You Set Up Once and Let Run for Years
What Is It?
BackupPC isn’t new, and it’s not pretty — but it works. You spin up one Linux box, point it at every desktop, laptop, or server in your network, and it starts pulling backups over SMB, rsync, tar… whatever works. No agents. No special software on the client side. If the machine can be reached and its data shared, it’s getting backed up.
It’s built for places where machines come and go, users forget everything, and someone still has to make sure data doesn’t disappear. And once it’s running? You barely touch it.
What It Actually Does
| Capability | Why It’s Useful |
| No Client Software | Doesn’t install anything — pulls backups using network protocols |
| Insane Deduplication | Identical files across hosts? Only stored once — even hardlinked |
| Web Interface | Old-school CGI-based UI, but fast and gets the job done |
| Per-Host Configs | You control what gets backed up and how, host by host |
| File Browsing | Users can log in and grab their own stuff from backups |
| Compression | After deduplication, to squeeze even more storage |
| Silent and Reliable | Backups run overnight, log everything, and email if something breaks |
Deployment Notes
– Linux-only host: Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS — take your pick.
– Clients can be anything: Windows via SMB, Linux/macOS via rsync or tar.
– Flat file structure: No database, no weird dependencies.
– No fancy frontend: But logs are readable, backups are restorable, and that’s what matters.
– Works well on old hardware: It’s lean and doesn’t care for modern bloat.
Setup Overview (Straight Talk)
Install it
sudo apt install backuppc
Access the UI
Usually at http://server/cgi-bin/BackupPC_Admin
Add a Host
Pick hostname, method (rsync is best), share paths.
Try a Test Backup
Manual run, check logs, fix errors if needed.
Tune the Schedule
Maybe daily for desktops, hourly for servers. Your call.
Forget About It
Unless it fails — then you’ll get an email. That’s the goal.
When It Makes Sense
– You’ve got a bunch of Windows boxes that users never back up themselves.
– You want something that runs from a Linux box in the corner — no cloud.
– You care more about storage efficiency than flashy dashboards.
– You’re tired of reconfiguring agent-based tools every time a PC gets reimaged.
– You want backups that just… happen, even if the user doesn’t log in for a week.