{\bf Bacula} is a set of computer programs that permits you (or the system
administrator) to manage backup, recovery, and verification of computer data
-across a network of computers of different kinds. In technical terms, it is a
+across a network of computers of different kinds. Bacula can also run entirely
+upon a single computer, and can backup to various types of media, including tape
+and disk.
+
+In technical terms, it is a
network Client/Server based backup program. Bacula is relatively easy to use
and efficient, while offering many advanced storage management features that
make it easy to find and recover lost or damaged files. Due to its modular
\begin{itemize}
\item
\label{DirDef}
- {\bf Bacula Director} service consists of the program that supervises all the
+ {\bf Bacula Director} service consists of the program that supervises all
+the
backup, restore, verify and archive operations. The system administrator uses
the Bacula Director to schedule backups and to recover files. For more
details see the Director Services Daemon Design Document in the Bacula
background).
\item
\label{UADef}
- {\bf Bacula Console} services is the program that allows the administrator or
+ {\bf Bacula Console} services is the program that allows the administrator
+or
user to communicate with the {\bf Bacula Director} (see above). Currently,
the Bacula Console is available in three versions. The first and simplest is
to run the Console program in a shell window (i.e. TTY interface). Most
has the backup device (usually a tape drive).
\item
\label{DBDefinition}
- {\bf Catalog} services are comprised of the software programs responsible for
+ {\bf Catalog} services are comprised of the software programs responsible
+for
maintaining the file indexes and volume databases for all files backed up.
The Catalog services permit the System Administrator or user to quickly
locate and restore any desired file. The Catalog services sets Bacula apart
of this document.
\item
\label{MonDef}
- {\bf Bacula Monitor} services is the program that allows the administrator or
+ {\bf Bacula Monitor} services is the program that allows the administrator
+or
user to watch current status of {\bf Bacula Directors}, {\bf Bacula File
Daemons} and {\bf Bacula Storage Daemons} (see above). Currently, only a GTK+
version is available, which works with Gnome and KDE (or any window manager
\item [Catalog]
\index[fd]{Catalog }
- The Catalog is used to store summary information about the Jobs, Clients, and
+ The Catalog is used to store summary information about the Jobs, Clients,
+and
Files that were backed up and on what Volume or Volumes. The information
saved in the Catalog permits the administrator or user to determine what jobs
were run, their status as well as the important characteristics of each file
\item [Verify]
\index[sd]{Verify }
- A verify is a job that compares the current file attributes to the attributes
+ A verify is a job that compares the current file attributes to the
+attributes
that have previously been stored in the Bacula Catalog. This feature can be
used for detecting changes to critical system files similar to what {\bf
Tripwire} does. One of the major advantages of using Bacula to do this is
\item [Retention Period]
\index[fd]{Retention Period }
- There are various kinds of retention periods that Bacula recognizes. The most
+ There are various kinds of retention periods that Bacula recognizes. The
+most
important are the {\bf File} Retention Period, {\bf Job} Retention Period,
and the {\bf Volume} Retention Period. Each of these retention periods
applies to the time that specific records will be kept in the Catalog
\item [Scan]
\index[sd]{Scan }
- A Scan operation causes the contents of a Volume or a series of Volumes to be
+ A Scan operation causes the contents of a Volume or a series of Volumes to
+be
scanned. These Volumes with the information on which files they contain are
restored to the Bacula Catalog. Once the information is restored to the
Catalog, the files contained on those Volumes may be easily restored. This