Adding a new FileDaemon to Bacula

Adding a new FileDaemon to backup a new host (not already serving files to Bacula) is relatively similar between Windows and Unix Compatible.

You must first install the FD Client on the server you wish to back up.

This guide covers windows hosts, but linux hosts are primarily the same setup.

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Install the FD Service client on the server.

Download the appropriate version of the bacula-FD (Currently running Bacula 7.0.5 with windows FD of 5.2.10)

Windows FD 5.2.10 download

Run the installer as an administrator in windows. Once the installer completes, you must locate and edit the configuration files:

You can usually find these in windows by clicking Start -> All Programs -> Bacula -> Configuration -> Edit *SOMETHING* Configuration.

We’ll stick to Client Configuration for this guide.

 

It opens in a text editor. Here are the relevant sections to edit:

#
# "Global" File daemon configuration specifications
#
FileDaemon {                            # this is me
  Name = SERVERNAME-fd
  FDport = 9102                # where we listen for the director
  WorkingDirectory = "C:\\Program Files\\Bacula\\working"
  Pid Directory = "C:\\Program Files\\Bacula\\working"
# Plugin Directory = "C:\\Program Files\\Bacula\\plugins"
  Maximum Concurrent Jobs = 10
}

Under the FileDaemon section, edit your global name field to match whatever is expected in the Director configuration.

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Next we need to set the director name and password:

#
# List Directors who are permitted to contact this File daemon
#
Director {
  Name = bacula-dir
  Password = "XxXXxxXXxxxxxXXXxxxxXX"
}

Note, the name of bacula-dir is the default. Make sure it matches the main server director’s name.
The password field can be unique to this FD client, but must match in the main bacula director configuration file.

Save these files to the local machine, restart the bacula FD service.

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Add the new FileDaemon to Bacula Director

ssh root@BACULA.YOURDOMAIN.com

Then, super-user edit the bacula-dir.conf file:

sudo nano /etc/bacula/bacula-dir.conf

Next we’ll locate the client config section and edit as follows:

Find a record to duplicate and copy/paste it to make your modifications.

# SERVERNAME Server
Client {
  Name = SERVERNAME-fd
  Address = SERVERNAME.YOURDOMAIN.com
  FDPort = 9102
  Catalog = MyCatalog
  Password = "XxXXxxXXxxxxxXXXxxxxXX"	 # password for FileDaemon
  File Retention = 7 days            # one week
  Job Retention = 7 days           # one week
  AutoPrune = no                    # Prune expired Jobs/Files
}

Edit the comment to match your server name.
Edit the Name field to match your FD’s name.
Edit the address to the IP or FQDN of the server you wish to add.
Verify that the password matches exactly.

Save changes to bacula-dir.conf and restart the director:

sudo service bacula-dir restart

You can now proceed to follow the steps for adding a new backup location to your rotation.