Ubuntu: Create backup - how it works

In this article we will show you how to create backups in Ubuntu. Since version 11.10, Ubuntu comes with everything you need. Now you can easily create and manage backups in Ubuntu. The restore also works with one click. You can find all the information in this practical tip.

Create Ubuntu backup: preparation

If you make regular backups in Ubuntu, there are a few things to keep in mind. Because even the best backup is of no use if you accidentally lose it. Therefore, pay attention to the following tips.

• It is best to create backups on an external hard drive. These are fast and large enough to make backups quick and easy. It is best to use two external hard drives in parallel. Then you still have protection against a hard drive failure.
• If you create backups of small amounts of data, USB sticks are also suitable. Depending on the size of the data, several backups will already fit on these. You can also easily store USB sticks with important data in the safe deposit box or similar.
• We recommend that you do not just create a backup. It's smart to have chronologically different backups. If you find that the file you were looking for was not included in the last backup, you can always go back.

Create Ubuntu backup: how it works

Since Ubuntu already has a backup tool pre-installed, you should use it. It also makes it very easy to restore data. This is sometimes a little difficult with third-party tools. So rather grab the installed tool and follow these steps.

1. Open the search function of Ubuntu and enter "Backup" in the search field. You should immediately see the tool you need. Start it up.
2. You will now see the window with the various buttons.
3. First, you should go to the "Folder to backup" button. Now press the little plus at the bottom and then select the folders you want to back up.
4. Under the menu item "Folders to be ignored" you can specify which folders you want to ignore in the backups. Most of these are folders, such as your downloads, that contain unimportant files.
5. Then select your desired storage medium under "Data backup location".
6. Now you can manually create a backup in the overview or set up a backup plan. Ubuntu will then automatically create backups at the times you specified.

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See our next article on how to install Skype on Ubuntu.