[vox-tech] Automated backups of files on remote FTP server

[Richard S. Crawford]

On Thursday 28 September 2006 12:13, Troy Arnold wrote:
> On Thu, Sep 28, 2006 at 12:05:50PM -0700, Richard S. Crawford wrote:
> > I've been tasked with finding a way to backup our files on our remote
> > host to a local server on a regular basis.  Trouble is I can only get to
> > the remote host via FTP.  Both systems run Linux.
> >
> > What's the best way to go about doing this?
>
> Get the admin to install ssh...

A man can only dream.


> Your request is a bit vague,

Hm.  I tried to be specific.  In more detail:  We maintain our website on a 
remote Linux server run by a web hosting company.  We only have FTP access to 
the server; TelNet and SSH are not enabled with our account level, and we 
won't be raising our account level any time soon.

Now, in our building in Sacramento, we have a Linux server over which I have 
complete control.

What I would like to be able to do is this:  run an automated script on the 
local Linux server which would connect to the remote server over FTP and 
download all the files, recursively, to reproduce the file system locally 
(and, ideally, on a regular schedule, downloading only the files which have 
changed since the last time).  Normally I would use rsync for a task like 
this, but I have not been able to get it working over FTP.


> but if it requires much logic I'd probably use 
> the Perl Net::FTP module.  Here's an example swiped from an existing
> script:

I'll give that a try.  Thanks.

-- 
Richard S. Crawford (http://www.mossroot.com)
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