From cf48cc44697907ba6a2c1bd096be2027a5eb8bef Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Lars Wirzenius Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2021 10:43:05 +0200 Subject: doc: Obnam only does push backups --- obnam.md | 19 +++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 19 insertions(+) (limited to 'obnam.md') diff --git a/obnam.md b/obnam.md index eaab2e8..6e9085c 100644 --- a/obnam.md +++ b/obnam.md @@ -419,6 +419,25 @@ can be replaced with stronger ones. This will allow Obnam to migrate to a stronger algorithm when attacks against the current one become too scary. +## On pull versus push backups + +Obnam only does push backups. This means the client runs on the host +where the live data is, and sends it to the server. + +Backups could also be pulled, in that the server reaches out tot he +host where the live data is, retrieves the data, and stores it on the +server. Obnam does not do this, due to the hard requirement that live +data never leaves its host in cleartext. + +The reason pull backups are of interest in many use cases is because +they allow central administration of backups, which can simplify +things a lot in a large organization. Central backup administration +can be achieved with Obnam in a more complicated way: the installation +and configuration of live data hosts is done in a central fashion +using configuration management, and if necessary, backups can be +triggered on each host by having the server reach out and run the +Obnam client. + # File metadata Files in a file system contain data and have metadata: data about the -- cgit v1.2.1