

LiveBackup (a framework to create live-cd's from installed Linux systems)
=========================================================================

(http://livebackup.sourceforge.net/)


About:
======

LiveBackup is a framework to create live-cd's from installed Linux
systems. It supports different hardware detection systems and
provides user configuration separated from backup images.  


Motivation
==========

Configuring a Linux system to meet all your personal needs is a time
consuming task. Once you are satisfied you may save your work as a
Backup. The framework of LiveBackup gives you several ways to use
your backup as a live system bootable from CD/DVD drives. Three
example scenarios are:

* Run your system on the same PC-hardware, now using a DVD instead of the
  hard disk. Connecting to Internet now is absolute save (???). If you want to
  access/store files you still can mount your hard disk.

* You can easily share your configuration work with others. This is
  especially useful for notebook hardware.

* You can run your personalized Linux on all hardware which is
  supported by recent hardware detection systems.  
   



Features
==========

* Your Linux system can be saved on a read only media. Supported
  formats are compressed cloop image (using isofs) or a simple copy of
  the directory structure on a DVD. To recover files you simple mount
  your archive.

* Your backup is bootable as a live system. You can run it on native
  hardware (where your original system is installed) or on other PC's
  using hardware detection.

* LiveBackup supports selection between different kernel versions. If
  you run the Live-System on the native Hardware you may want to use
  your customized kernel. If you start your system on other hardware
  you better use one of the provided generic Linux kernels.

* Hardware detection is separated so that it runs from initrd. There is 
  no need to modify your native system to use it. Different hardware
  identification system are supported (libkuzu, libdiscover).

* It is possible to configure/modify the live system without any need
  to change the backup archive. This is the main task you probably
  have to do once when you create your LiveBackup.

* LiveBackup contains support for different storage media like CD, DVD
  and USB-sticks.

* It provides a directory structure which helps you to maintain
  different system images which you may support on a Live-DVD.
  
* It provides a development environment for creating your
  LiveBackup. This includes logging and a shell prompt after
  system setup. You can check your setup before the sysV init boot
  procedure starts.

* Testing of your ISO images prior to burning works using a PC emulation
  like qemu (http://fabrice.bellard.free.fr/qemu/).
  


How booting of a LiveBackup works
====================================


  1. The boot manager starts and provides a set of
     options. User selects which backup image he wants to run and
     if the system needs hardware detection.

  2. The Linux kernel starts and launches the /linuxrc script in
     the initial ramdisk for the following tasks

       2.1 mount the backup image

       2.2 create ramdisks and setup the directory structure to have all
           necessary files writable. 

       2.3 invoke user configuration to modify the backup image where
           it is necessary.

       2.4 optionally run hardware detection 
       
  3. The Linux kernel continues starting the sysV system boot
     sequence (/sbin/init).
       

 




