backing up the server

[4eyes]

We have a dedicated server running *nix/apache/plesk with 100 or so customer sites on it.

I am looking for a way to automatically archive the whole kaboodle ready for me to download overnight as a back up, (The sites are mainly small, and I have cable modem so I think I should be able to do this relatively quickly).

My main reason for doing this, rather than (or in addition to ) the back up services offered by the server management company, is just extra security.

If they screw up, I go bust! therefore 'Belt and Braces' needed.

I don't know too much about *nix, but can do simple stuff on the server via Webmin and Plesk.

I would appreciate the advice of those better qualified in this area (that means almost everyone on the forum, I suspect!)

Any ideas?
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Anybody?
[edit to bring to the top]

[DaveAtIFG]

For my own sites and sites I maintain, I simply keep a mirror of them on my local disk via FTP. It gets backed up weekly onto a second hard drive. It's only about 20 sites though and the pages are revised locally and uploaded as completed, kind of an ongoing process.

TAR may be the way to go. TAR is "tape archiver," it's a compression program similar to Winzip for M$ machines. A copy of the user manual is at [gnu.org...] Go tar everything into one big file and download it!

[4eyes]

Thanks DaveAtIFG,

I already have backups in the form of the original web sites.

My main worry was the time it would take to re-post the lot - and more worryingly the time to re-configure the Server.

I think I can probably TAR all the files and backup the config files from Plesk.

Scares the hell out of me though - I mean, how do you test that you did it right?

First time you get a chance to test it is when the server gets wiped - not a good time to find I missed a relevant config file!

I suppose its still better than not having a backup at all.

Is there anyone out there with experience of backing up Plesk config files?