[Twisted-Python] Backup Agent

[David A. Leedom]

OK Guys I Need your help.

I own a small computer consulting firm and am struggling with the basic 
sales and marketing issues.  However, I think I have finally stumbled onto 
a great "no brainer" idea:

         A Remote Backup Service for Small businesses.

Yes I know there are a bunch out their, but I am thinking of the Hundreds 
of Businesses around my general geographic area who don't know how to find 
them and who don't backup their data.  I would charge a monthly fee for a 
given amount of space used ( no more than 500 Meg) and provide a software 
that would backup and restore their data.

My dilemma is that my margins would be to small to make it affordable for 
me to resale someone else's software.  So....I would like to roll my 
own.  Python makes a lot of sense for many reasons that I don't need to get 
into here.

My struggle is that although I have been programming since the mid-70s, I 
am new to Python and feel like a man groping around in the dark.  Also 
being new to Twisted it is like the room is full of chairs as well.  I did 
get some sample code to work over the weekend, but I got a serious brain 
cramp trying to figure it all out.

The basic architecture that I am thinking of is client/server.  There would 
be three basic applications running to make things work.  First, would be 
an Agent program that does most of the work.  The Agent would run as a 
service on each computer being backed up.  Second would be a GUI program 
running locally to control the agents.  Finally there would be a "Web 
Service" that received backup sets from each agent or a designated master 
agent. The Web Service would handle authentication and other house keeping 
things.

Finally the Question!!!!
There are many other details that I have in mind as well (using patches to 
reduce size, compression, encryption...), but right now I am working on 
issues related to the communication between the GUI and Agents.  Assuming 
that I have one or more number of agents running on a network I want to do 
a number of things.  1)  Have the GUI request that the agents identify 
themselves so I don't have to tell the GUI where they are.  2) Transmit a 
catalog list of the file system to the GUI so I can build a TreeView and 
pick which files to backup on each computer.  3)  Finally I may want to 
identify a "Master" agent that collects all the backups on the network and 
transmits them as one session to the Web Service. This would allow for 
local "On Site" backups for fast restores due to normal computer crashes 
and failures.

1.      What would you guys suggest I do to I get the GUI to ask all the 
agents to identify themselves?
2.      What would be the best approach using twisted to transmit a file 
system catalog across the local wire.  I was playing with some remote 
procedure calls over the weekend that seemed to work.  I am thinking I 
could create a class that would gather the local file system and send it 
over the wire as one lump.
3.      If I am going to transmit a backup file (<500meg) over the wire to 
another local computer what is the best Twisted approach to take?  Due to 
WinXP security issues and the desire the run in a cross platform 
environment I don't want to rely on normal file shares.

There are a hundred other questions running though my mind right now, but 
this will due for now,


Thanks for any help you can give,

David A. Leedom




The Hightower Group, Inc.
Custom Software Solutions Designed To Fit Your Business Like A Glove.
165 West Airport Road/Lititz, PA 17543
V:717-560-4002, 877-560-4002 x: 114
F:717-560-2825
www.hightowergroup.com  
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