Do Automated Cross-Platform Network Backups The Easy Way, Part 1 - page 3

BackupPC Overview

Backups can be divided into four categories: operating system, user data, databases, and network devices like routers, switches, and access points. For backing up non-Linux network devices, take a look at RANCID, which monitors and backs up a variety of different brands of routers and switches.

Do you need complete backups of every last bit on your network? To conserve storage space, consider trimming operating system backups, and just backup user data and system configuration files. Then create custom operating system images for fast restores. When would you need to perform a complete operating system restoration? Only after a hardware failure, a hardware upgrade, or after a malware infestation severe enough to render the entire system suspect. If you're cleaning up after a successful intrusion, you should consider your system backups unreliable as well, and do a clean reinstallation from known good sources.