Featured Article: TMO Announcement - The Mac Observer Promotes Jeff Gamet to Managing Editor
Automated Backups with Mac OS X's Launchd
by , 3:15 PM EST, December 27th, 2006
A tutorial that described how to automatically launch a backup script in Mac OS X when an external drive is mounted was published at MacResearch.org on Friday.
Mac OS X 10.4, Tiger, introduced a new daemon called launchd that replaces inetd, init, mach_init, and System Starter. By defining a plist, the user can create a process that watches for a volume to be mounted, then run a backup script. In the example, the UNIX command rsync was used to generate a full or incremental backup to an external volume. The basic rsync technique has been explained at MacDevcenter.
The tutorial was helpful in explaining the details of how Mac OS X launches daemons and applications. It's also useful for those who want to see how Apple's more modern launchd compares to traditional UNIX mechanisms for starting up processes. Finally, for those who are unhappy with their current backup software, the tutorial, combined with the MacDevCenter link, reveals how system administrators and technical users can get control and roll their own backup procedure.
Observer Comments
Recent Headlines - Updated Friday, July 4th, 2008
- Fri., 7:30 AM
- Happy Fourth of July!
- Thu., 4:50 PM
- Apple Slashes $400 from SSD Drive in MacBook Air
- 4:05 PM
- It's Official - Firefox Sets Guinness Record for Downloads
- 3:30 PM
- Apple Files Patent for a Multi-touch Gesture Language
- 2:20 PM
- Editorial - Mac's Market Share and the Cascade Failure of Windows
- 1:35 PM
- iPodObserver - Apple Slurps Up Samsung's NAND Flash for iPhone 3G
- 1:05 PM
- WSJ: Tips for Switching from Windows to Mac
- 12:05 PM
- iPodObserver - Google Intros Google Talk for iPhone
- 11:35 AM
- iPO Just a Thought - iPod nano Versus iPhone: Decisons, Decisions...
- 10:55 AM
- YouTube Ordered to Turn Over All User Records to Viacom
- 10:10 AM
- Hot Forum Topic - Apple vs. Cell Carriers: Who's Winning the Game
- 9:25 AM
- iPodObserver - Rumor: Best Buy, Radio Shack to Sell iPhone 3G
- 8:45 AM
- .Mac Bookmark Sync Deadline Extended to July 6
- 8:10 AM
- Adobe Reader 9 Hits the Streets
The Mac Observer Reader Specials
- Download Typestyler, still the Ultimate Styling Tool for Internet, Print and Video Graphics. Works great in Classic with a Native OS X Version on the way. Free Tryout: www.typestyler.com
- OWC: NewerTech NuPower Batteries for iBook and PowerBooks Designed+Built in USA to run longer, LAST LONGER TOO! Free Battery Recycling Return Label; Quality High-Capacity from $99.95
New MacPro Memory 800Mhz With Apple Spec Heat Sink 2GB $104 / 4GB $172 / 8GB $338. Click to Maximize your Macs...
Mac observers can now play Party Poker for Mac as well as Mac casino games by going to MacPokerOnline.com.
RamJet Memory: MacBook 1Gig $39, 2Gig $78, 4Gig $195! Mac Pro 2Gig $115, 4Gig $189! 500G Seagate SATA II $139! Click hereFor the latest Apple products use Ciao a comparison website to find laptops like MacBook Air. Then find the best prices on MP3 players and use our comparison tool to evaluate cell phones.
Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.
Harman Kardon EP 730 In-ear Noise Isolating Earphones With Volume Control: $52.99 Delivered 
Archos 604 30 GB Ultraslim Portable Digital Media Player and Recorder: $169.99 Delivered 
Western Digital 320GB My Passport Essential USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive: $128.99 Delivered 
Cavalry 1TB Hard Drive - RAID 1 (500GB Mirrored) - Interface (USB 2.0) External Hard Drive: $189.99 
