Linux Backup Script
Problem
Backing up physical Linux systems was more complex than it needed to be. Tools like URBackup were a pain to configure for simple partition-level backups, requiring agent installation and server-side setup just to get a disk image onto a network share. There was no simple, scriptable solution that handled NFS mounting, backup creation, and old copy rotation in one place.
Approach
Built a Bash wrapper around dd that backs up the main partition to a remote NFS share. The script checks whether the NFS share is mounted and auto-mounts it if not, then writes the partition image. After the backup completes, it automatically rotates old copies to keep only the last N backups, preventing the share from filling up over time. No agents, no server software, no configuration beyond the script itself.
Outcome
Simple, reliable partition-level backups for physical Linux hosts with automatic rotation and no external dependencies beyond an NFS share. The script runs on a cron schedule and handles everything - mount checks, backup creation, and old copy cleanup - without any manual steps.