tdbbackup

The tdbbackup command is a tool provided by Samba for creating backups of Trivial Database (TDB) files. TDB is a simple database format used by Samba to store various types of configuration and state data, including user information, secrets, and other internal Samba management data.

Overview of tdbbackup

The tdbbackup command allows administrators to create backups of TDB files that are critical to Samba's operation. This is an important step in ensuring the integrity and availability of data. By regularly backing up TDB files, you can prevent data loss in case of system failure or corruption of the TDB database.

General Syntax:

tdbbackup [options] <db-file>

Where:

• <db-file>: The path to the TDB file you wish to back up (e.g., secrets.tdb, passdb.tdb).

Key Options for tdbbackup

• --help: Displays help information about the command and available options.

• --target: Specifies the backup file name or location. If not provided, the backup will be created in the same directory with the .bak extension.

• --no-rename: Prevents renaming of existing backup files.

• --force: Forces the backup operation, even if the target file already exists.

Example Usage

1. Basic Backup of a TDB File

To create a backup of a specific TDB file (e.g., secrets.tdb), you can run the following command:

tdbbackup /var/lib/samba/private/secrets.tdb

This command will create a backup of the secrets.tdb file in the same directory with the extension .bak (i.e., secrets.tdb.bak).

2. Specifying a Backup Location

If you want to store the backup in a specific directory, you can specify the target file or directory using the --target option:

tdbbackup --target=/path/to/backup/secrets.tdb.bak /var/lib/samba/private/secrets.tdb

This creates a backup of secrets.tdb and saves it as /path/to/backup/secrets.tdb.bak.

3. Force Backup

If a backup file already exists at the target location and you want to overwrite it, use the --force option:

tdbbackup --force /var/lib/samba/private/secrets.tdb

4. Displaying Help

To view the available options for tdbbackup:

tdbbackup --help

This will display detailed help information, including all available options and their usage.

Use Cases for tdbbackup

1. Backing up Samba Database Files: Critical Samba configuration files like secrets.tdb (for machine secrets) and passdb.tdb (for user data) are stored in the TDB format. Regular backups of these files are essential to ensure that user data and Samba's internal configurations are not lost in the event of system failure.

2. System Migration: When migrating a Samba server to a new system or disk, backing up the TDB files ensures that you can preserve your domain's configuration, user data, and other settings.

3. Disaster Recovery: In case of data corruption or hardware failure, tdbbackup enables you to recover critical Samba database files from backups, ensuring minimal downtime and data loss.

Example Scenario: Samba User Data Backup

You can use tdbbackup to back up the Samba user database (passdb.tdb) regularly. Here's an example command:

tdbbackup --target=/backups/passdb_backup.tdb /var/lib/samba/private/passdb.tdb

This command backs up the passdb.tdb file, which contains the Samba user information, to /backups/passdb_backup.tdb.

Conclusion

The tdbbackup command is a valuable tool for Samba administrators who need to create backups of their critical TDB files, such as the user and secrets databases. Regular backups are essential for disaster recovery and system migration, and tdbbackup simplifies the process of safeguarding the important configuration and state data of Samba. By ensuring your Samba TDB files are backed up, you can mitigate the risks of data corruption, system failures, and unforeseen disasters.