KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is the virtualization solution (type 1 hypervisor) included in the Linux kernel, which, by default, is used together with QEMU, the userspace software which actually performs the guest systems emulation (type 2 hypervisor). In a previous tutorial we saw how to create and manage KVM virtual machines from the command line; in this article, instead, we will learn how to create and manage guest systems snapshots using tools like virsh and virt-manager.
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How to create incremental system backups with Timeshift on Linux
Linux-based operating systems, if well configured, are really stable; however, since bad things can always happen, it is a good idea to regularly create backups. As we saw in previous articles, there are many types of backup, and many possible backup strategies which can be implemented on Linux, using free and open source software. In this article we focus on Timeshift, an application which allows us to create incremental backups of our Linux system. The tool is similar to the Apple Time Machine, and can work as a frontend for rsync or use the BTRFS filesystem snapshot feature under the hood.
How to create incremental and differential backups with tar
Tar (Tape ARchiver) is one the most useful utilities in the toolbox of every Linux system administrator out there. With tar we can create archives which can be used for various purposes: to package applications source code, for example, or to create and store data backups.