Bacula : Add remote Clients2026/07/07

It's possible to add remote Hosts as backup target Clients.
This example is based on the environment like follows.

+----------------------+          |          +----------------------+
| [   Bacula Server  ] |10.0.0.30 | 10.0.0.51| [   Bacula Client  ] |
|    Bacula Director   +----------+----------+    (Backup Target)   |
|    Bacula Storage    |                     |  Bacula File Daemon  |
|  Bacula File Daemon  |                     |                      |
|      PostgreSQL      |                     |                      |
+----------------------+                     +----------------------+

[1]	Configure basic Bacula Server, refer to here.
[2]	Configure Bacula Server.

root@dlp:~#

vi /etc/bacula/bacula-dir.conf

# add to last line
# define job
JobDefs {
  Name = "Job-node01"
  Type = Backup
  Level = Incremental
  # specify [Name] value of [Client] section
  Client = node01
  # specify [Name] value of [FileSet] section
  FileSet = "Node01 Set"
  Schedule = "WeeklyCycle"
  Storage = File1
  Messages = Standard
  Pool = File
  SpoolAttributes = yes
  Priority = 10
  Write Bootstrap = "/var/lib/bacula/%c.bsr"
}

# define backup job
Job {
  Name = "node01-BackupClient"
  # specify [Name] value of [Client] section
  Client = node01
  # specify [Name] value of [JobDefs] section
  JobDefs = "Job-node01"
}

# define File Set
FileSet {
  Name = "Node01 Set"
  Include {
    Options {
      signature = MD5
    }
      # backup target directory
      File = /etc
  }
}

# define client
Client {
  Name = node01
  # client hostname or IP address
  Address = node01.srv.world
  FDPort = 9102
  Catalog = MyCatalog
  # password for File daemon
  Password = "password"
  File Retention = 60 days
  Job Retention = 6 months
  AutoPrune = yes
}

root@dlp:~#

systemctl restart bacula-dir

# if UFW is enabled, allow services

root@dlp:~#

ufw allow bacula-dir

root@dlp:~#

ufw allow bacula-sd

Rule added
Rule added (v6)

[3]	Configure Bacula Client.

root@node01:~#

apt -y install bacula-fd bacula-client bacula-console

root@node01:~#

vi /etc/bacula/bacula-fd.conf

Director {
  # line 16 : change to Director name
  # line 17 : password for File daemon
  Name = dlp.srv.world-dir
  Password = "password"
}

.....
.....

Director {
  # line 25 : change to Director name
  # line 26 : password for File daemon
  Name = dlp.srv.world-mon
  Password = "password"
  Monitor = yes
}

FileDaemon {                          # this is me
  Name = node01.srv.world-fd
  FDport = 9102                  # where we listen for the director
  WorkingDirectory = /var/lib/bacula
  Pid Directory = /run/bacula
  Maximum Concurrent Jobs = 20
  Plugin Directory = /usr/lib/bacula
  # line 40 : listening address
  FDAddress = 0.0.0.0

Messages {
  Name = Standard
  # line 46 : change to Director name
  director = dlp.srv.world-dir = all, !skipped, !restored
}

root@node01:~#

vi /etc/bacula/bconsole.conf

Director {
  # Director name
  Name = dlp.srv.world-dir
  DIRport = 9101
  # hostname or IP address of Director daemon
  address = dlp.srv.world
  # password which is set in Director
  Password = "password"
}

root@node01:~#

systemctl restart bacula-fd

# is UFW is enabled, allow service port

root@node01:~#

ufw allow bacula-fd

Rule added
Rule added (v6)

[5]	That's OK. It's possible to run backup and restore operation on both Server or Client. For example, run backup and restore on Client Host.

# backup

root@node01:~#

bconsole

Connecting to Director dlp.srv.world:9101
1000 OK: 10002 dlp.srv.world-dir Version: 15.0.3 (25 March 2025)
Enter a period to cancel a command.

*label
Automatically selected Catalog: MyCatalog
Using Catalog "MyCatalog"
The defined Storage resources are:
     1: File1
     2: File2
Select Storage resource (1-2): 1
Connecting to Storage daemon File1 at dlp.srv.world:9103 ...
Enter autochanger drive[0]:
Enter new Volume name: Vol_node01-etc_20260707
Enter slot (0 or Enter for none):
Defined Pools:
     1: Default
     2: File
     3: Scratch
Select the Pool (1-3): 2
Connecting to Storage daemon File1 at dlp.srv.world:9103 ...
Sending label command for Volume "Vol_node01-etc_20260707" Slot 0 ...
3000 OK label. VolBytes=263 VolABytes=0 VolType=1 UseProtect=0 VolEncrypted=0 Volume="Vol_node01-etc_20260707" Device="FileChgr1-Dev1" (/tmp)
Catalog record for Volume "Vol_node01-etc_20260707", Slot 0  successfully created.
Requesting to mount FileChgr1 ...
3906 File device ""FileChgr1-Dev1" (/tmp)" is always mounted.

*run
A job name must be specified.
The defined Job resources are:
     1: BackupClient1
     2: BackupCatalog
     3: RestoreFiles
     4: node01-BackupClient
Select Job resource (1-4): 4
Run Backup job
JobName:  node01-BackupClient
Level:    Incremental
Client:   node01
FileSet:  Node01 Set
Pool:     File (From Job resource)
Storage:  File1 (From Job resource)
When:     2026-07-07 01:20:55
Priority: 10
OK to run? (yes/mod/no): yes
Job queued. JobId=3
You have messages.
*exit

# restore

root@node01:~#

bconsole

Connecting to Director dlp.srv.world:9101
1000 OK: 10002 dlp.srv.world-dir Version: 15.0.3 (25 March 2025)
Enter a period to cancel a command.

*restore
Automatically selected Catalog: MyCatalog
Using Catalog "MyCatalog"

First you select one or more JobIds that contain files
to be restored. You will be presented several methods
of specifying the JobIds. Then you will be allowed to
select which files from those JobIds are to be restored.

To select the JobIds, you have the following choices:
     1: List last 20 Jobs run
     2: List Jobs where a given File is saved
     3: Enter list of comma separated JobIds to select
     4: Enter SQL list command
     5: Select the most recent backup for a client
     6: Select backup for a client before a specified time
     7: Enter a list of files to restore
     8: Enter a list of files to restore before a specified time
     9: Find the JobIds of the most recent backup for a client
    10: Find the JobIds for a backup for a client before a specified time
    11: Enter a list of directories to restore for found JobIds
    12: Select full restore to a specified Job date
    13: Select object to restore
    14: Cancel
Select item:  (1-14): 5
Defined Clients:
     1: dlp.srv.world-fd
     2: node01
Select the Client (1-2): 2
Automatically selected FileSet: Node01 Set
+-------+-------+----------+-----------+---------------------+-------------------------+
| jobid | level | jobfiles | jobbytes  | starttime           | volumename              |
+-------+-------+----------+-----------+---------------------+-------------------------+
|     3 | F     |    1,712 | 2,345,687 | 2026-07-07 01:21:03 | Vol_node01-etc_20260707 |
+-------+-------+----------+-----------+---------------------+-------------------------+
You have selected the following JobId: 3

Building directory tree for JobId(s) 3 ...  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1,506 files inserted into the tree.

You are now entering file selection mode where you add (mark) and
remove (unmark) files to be restored. No files are initially added, unless
you used the "all" keyword on the command line.
Enter "done" to leave this mode.

cwd is: /

$ ls
etc/
$ mark etc
1,712 files marked.
$ done
Bootstrap records written to /var/lib/bacula/dlp.srv.world-dir.restore.1.bsr

The Job will require the following (*=>InChanger):
   Volume(s)                 Storage(s)                SD Device(s)
===========================================================================

    Vol_node01-etc_20260707   File1                     FileChgr1

Volumes marked with "*" are in the Autochanger.


1,712 files selected to be restored.

Using Catalog "MyCatalog"
Run Restore job
JobName:         RestoreFiles
Bootstrap:       /var/lib/bacula/dlp.srv.world-dir.restore.1.bsr
Where:           /tmp
Replace:         Always
FileSet:         Full Set
Backup Client:   dlp.srv.world-fd
Restore Client:  node01
Storage:         File1
When:            2026-07-07 01:22:41
Catalog:         MyCatalog
Priority:        10
Plugin Options:  *None*
OK to run? (yes/mod/no): yes
Job queued. JobId=4
*exit

root@node01:~#

ll /tmp/etc

total 496
drwxr-xr-x 111 root root       4040 Jul  7 01:10 ./
drwxrwxrwt  12 root root        240 Jul  7 01:22 ../
-rw-------   1 root root          0 Apr 20 18:05 .pwd.lock
-rw-r--r--   1 root root        862 Apr 20 18:06 .resolv.conf.systemd-resolved.bak
-rw-r--r--   1 root root        255 Apr 20 18:05 .updated
drwxr-xr-x   5 root root        100 Apr 20 18:22 ModemManager/
drwxr-xr-x   2 root root         80 Jul  4 14:26 PackageKit/
drwxr-xr-x   3 root root         80 Apr 20 18:07 UPower/
drwxr-xr-x   4 root root         80 Apr 20 18:06 X11/
-rw-r--r--   1 root root       4027 Nov  4  2025 adduser.conf
drwxr-xr-x   2 root root       2380 Apr 20 18:22 alternatives/
drwxr-xr-x   2 root root         60 Apr 20 18:07 apparmor/
drwxr-xr-x   9 root root       3260 Jul  4 14:26 apparmor.d/
drwxr-xr-x   3 root root         80 Apr 20 18:07 apport/
.....
.....
# restored

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