OSX Server backup

[Munsell]

Need some advice on a backup strategy. Its for a server running our plant database system. Server is a Mac Pro running the newest version of OSX Server (10.6). Database software is File Maker Pro 11. Our current setup is decent, but not exactly preferable.

Ive gotten permission to access the company wide share network folder. My idea was to use rysnc over the network to backup the important database files to the offsite network location at certain increments. In my mind, thats the only really important part of this server. If it totally blows up, we have the OSX and File Maker install discs. Nbody does physical daily work on the server, so the only thing actually changing is the database.

My boss wants incremental daily backups of the entire computer (OS, software, files etc), and full weekly backups. If the only thing changing is the database, what is the point of backing up the entire server even once a week?

Any pointers would help. I'm pretty much trying to keep it free/open source, so rysnc for backing up specific files securely across a network fits the bill.

[mattbeals]

Carbon Copy Cloner is probably what you want. You can find it here: Carbon Copy Cloner - Home . It's an awesome tool for backing up. Check out the incredible features at: Carbon Copy Cloner - Features . No Mac OS X admin should be without this.

[Munsell]

That sounds perfect. Easy free backup. It will solve what my boss wants too. I guess you can't beat bootable backups, even if they are a little overkill for this machine.