Protecting your valuable data is paramount in today’s digital world. Whether it’s personal documents, photos, or critical system files, losing them due to hardware failure, accidental deletion, or cyber threats can be devastating. This is where a reliable backup solution comes in. For users running Ubuntu 22.04 (Jellyfish Jam), Duplicati stands out as an excellent choice: a free, open-source, and powerful backup client with strong encryption and support for various storage destinations.
This guide will walk you through the simple steps to install Duplicati on your Ubuntu 22.04 system, ensuring your data protection journey starts on the right foot.
Why Choose Duplicati for Your Ubuntu Backups?
Duplicati offers several compelling features that make it ideal for Linux users:
- Free and Open Source: Use it without cost, benefit from community development and transparency.
- Strong Encryption: Your data is encrypted on your local machine before it’s sent to the storage destination, ensuring privacy and security. It uses AES-256 encryption.
- Versatile Storage Options: Back up to destinations like SFTP, WebDAV, Amazon S3, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and many others.
- Efficient Backups: Supports incremental backups and data deduplication, saving space and bandwidth.
- Scheduled Backups: Automate your backup routine for consistent protection.
- Web-Based Interface: Manage all your backup jobs easily through a user-friendly web browser interface, accessible locally.
Prerequisites
Before you begin the installation, make sure you have:
- A machine running Ubuntu 22.04.
- Basic familiarity with using the Linux terminal.
- An active internet connection to download necessary packages.
Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Duplicati
Follow these steps to get Duplicati up and running on your Ubuntu 22.04 system:
Step 1: Download the Duplicati Package
Duplicati is distributed as a .deb package for Debian/Ubuntu systems. You’ll need to download the appropriate package for your architecture (most likely amd64). You can typically find the latest download link on the official Duplicati website’s download page.
Use the wget command in your terminal to download the package. Replace [download_url] with the actual link for the Ubuntu package:
wget [download_url]
For example: wget https://updates.duplicati.com/beta/duplicati_2.0.7.1-2.0.7.1_all.deb (Note: Always check the official site for the latest version and URL).
Step 2: Install Duplicati Using dpkg
Once the .deb file is downloaded, you can install it using the dpkg command. Navigate to the directory where you downloaded the file if you aren’t already there.
sudo dpkg -i duplicati_[version]_all.deb
Replace duplicati_[version]_all.deb with the exact filename you downloaded.
During this step, you might encounter dependency errors. Duplicati relies on the Mono runtime, which might not be installed by default on your system.
Step 3: Resolve Dependencies with apt
The easiest way to fix any missing dependencies, like Mono, is to use apt. This command will automatically find and install any required packages that were missing during the dpkg installation.
sudo apt --fix-broken install
This command is crucial and will install Mono and any other necessary libraries Duplicati needs to run correctly. After it completes, Duplicati should be successfully installed.
Step 4: Verify Installation and Manage the Service
Duplicati installs itself as a system service that runs in the background. You can check its status and manage it using systemctl.
To check the status:
sudo systemctl status duplicati
You should see output indicating the service is active (running). If it’s not running, you can start it with:
sudo systemctl start duplicati
To ensure Duplicati starts automatically every time your system boots:
sudo systemctl enable duplicati
Accessing the Duplicati Web Interface
Duplicati doesn’t have a traditional desktop application window. Instead, you interact with it through its web interface. Open your web browser and go to the following address:
http://localhost:8200
If you need to access the web interface from another computer on your network, you might need to configure the Duplicati service to listen on a network interface other than localhost and adjust your firewall settings (ufw) to allow traffic on port 8200. However, for most desktop users, accessing via localhost is sufficient.
The first time you access it, you may be asked to create a password to secure the web UI. It is highly recommended to set a strong password.
Setting Up Your First Backup
With Duplicati installed and running, you can now create your first backup job through the web interface. The intuitive UI will guide you through selecting:
- Source data: Which folders and files you want to back up.
- Destination: Where the backup files will be stored (e.g., an external drive, network share, cloud storage).
- Schedule: How often you want the backups to run automatically.
- Encryption: The password you will use to encrypt your backup files (keep this password safe!).
Conclusion
Installing Duplicati on Ubuntu 22.04 is a straightforward process that empowers you to protect your data effectively. By following these steps, you gain access to a robust, free, and secure backup solution. Regular backups are a fundamental part of digital security and data longevity. Don’t wait for data loss to happen – install Duplicati today and configure your backup plan to ensure your important files are safe and recoverable.
Source: https://kifarunix.com/how-to-install-duplicati-backup-client-on-ubuntu-22-04/
