BackupPC
High-performance server-based backup system that pools identical files across machines, with a web UI and no client-side software to install.
BackupPC is a high-performance, enterprise-grade system for backing up Windows, Linux and macOS machines to a server's disk pool. It runs entirely from the server: Windows clients are pulled over SMB, Unix clients over rsync or tar over SSH/NFS, so there is no agent to install or maintain on the machines it protects.
The defining feature is its pooling scheme: identical files across every machine and every backup generation are stored only once, combined with compression. The project's documented example fits roughly 1200 GB of raw data from 95 laptops into 150 GB on the server, which is what makes disk-only retention affordable for fleets.
A CGI web interface covers administration (logs, status, configuration) and lets users initiate and cancel backups, browse past backups, download single files or zip/tar archives, and push restores back to the client machine over SMB, rsync or tar. Scheduling is configurable system-wide or per PC, with parallel jobs and email reminders for machines that have not been backed up recently. Written in Perl with a development history going back to the early 2000s, it suits sites that want a set-and-forget, disk-based network backup server rather than a full data-protection suite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BackupPC need any software installed on the machines being backed up?
No. Windows clients are backed up over the SMB protocol using Samba, and Linux or macOS clients over rsync or tar through SSH or NFS. Optionally, rsyncd can serve Windows backups instead, but no BackupPC-specific client software exists.
How does BackupPC keep disk usage low?
A pooling scheme stores each identical file only once across all backups and all hosts, plus configurable compression. On the project's own example fleet, about 1200 GB of raw backup data compressed to 150 GB on disk.
How do users browse and restore files with BackupPC?
Through the web interface, users can browse any backup, download individual files, or get zip and tar archives of selected directories. Admins can also trigger direct restore-to-client transfers over SMB, rsync or tar.
How are backup schedules configured in BackupPC?
Schedules are set system-wide or per PC, covering full and incremental cycles, which paths are included or excluded, parallel job counts, and email reminders to users whose machines have not been backed up recently.
Which operating systems can run the BackupPC server?
The server has been tested on Linux and Solaris, and needs Perl plus the BackupPC::XS and rsync-bpc components. It stores to local or network-attached disk, and tape archiving is left to separate tooling.
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