"Backup" laptop
 

Hi,

As I heavily rely on my laptop for work during travel, I've been wondering what can I have a backup option in case the laptop would fail. My main OS is Linux, but I also have Windows installed.

Any suggestions as to a laptop "backup" option? must be extra light and thin, and compatible with linux and Windows.

Cheers

MS Surface 3 or 4 with type cover. Works for me (I have the 3, 128GB, 4GB RAM option)... even if the client calls me on the road and just wants to get that T-SQL script done asap.

I always travel with my laptop and the the Surface and think the extra weight (under 1kg) doesn't make any difference. Others carry an extra iPad, I carry the Surface since I need Windows on the road.

First line of back-up would be a bootable USB-Stick. In case of the main OS failing you could keep basic tasks running. In a worst case scenario, you could always plug it into the computer of colleague or friend, boot it up and keep your data in privacy (preferably combined with a VPN).

The bootable USB stick has clearly the weight and cost advantage. (It comes free if you have a usb stick lying around). Furthermore, those systems usually run on Linux (I've been mainly using Ubuntu). If you have MS365, you even can keep working of MS office.

Main disadvantage: A bootable USB stick only helps if the system took a hit. If the hardware is affected, it will not help you.

Second line of back-up would be a redundant system (aka back-up laptop). I would imagine, that such a set-up is overkill and requires you to carry a lot of additional weight around.

I've been traveling in the past with 2 to 4 notebooks (while commuting between my home and the city, where I lived and worked) and weight was clearly an issue. A tablet as back-up might be the perfect solution. Not too expensive and portable.

I'm already travelling with a backup USBs, live distro for the linux, and a Windows usb install. But as you've mentioned, this will help only if the hardware is intact.

How powerful of a machine do you need? A Cherry Trail tablet, most of which come out of China, could do the job with minimal additional weight/bulk. I have a Teclast X98 Plus that I carry as my only machine for short trips and in addition to a Dell Latitude 7540 on longer trips.

Lots of options.
* You can clone the entire HDD and bring that cloned HDD with you on your trip. With Windows, this won't be very useful unless the replacement PC is identical - not just the model number, but the actual components inside.
* You can use use remote access to VPN back home to a system that isn't toast. I do this when on travel using x2go. It uses ssh-keys for non-password authentication and works well enough for productivity apps, not video streaming or high-end graphics apps. If you are using passwords, then you've already lost the security game, IMHO.
* Switch to a chromebook and use a minimal crouton setup for remote access. Replacement if anything really bad happens is just a $100-$200 purchase away.
* With Linux systems/installs, the actual hardware doesn't really matter, just have good, encrypted, backups with you or available over the internet. Then a fairly quick restore and you are back in business with all your settings, your applications, and a comfortable OS.
* Run virtual machines for both your main OSes. Use virtualbox for this and export both to portable storage which you take with you, encrypted. Any new PC you buy on the road as an emergency replacement just needs vbox loaded, followed by a VM restore. I used this method for a few years, before getting remote desktop stuff secured and working very well. Had my laptop stolen in an airport security line. Fortunately, it was whole disk encrypted, so no client data was at risk.

I travel with a minimal *buntu on a chromebook (i3 + 4G + 1080p + 2.9 lbs + 8+ hrs of battery) and use x2go for everything sensitive these days. It has been used from 5 different continents and the coffee place around the corner. ;) A 64G, encrypted, microSD card has whatever data is needed to be with me and a backup of the Linux system. Much easier to do that restore than to deal with a non-standard computer at different checkpoints. Let them see the chromeOS (always use the guest account). ChromeOS doesn't do what I need, so it is just there for the airport people.

Of course, the way you need to work might not work with remote access. Just some options. I can walk into almost any internet cafe in the world, run a "portable app" version of x2go-client and have secure access to my desktop back home.

Anyway, hope this is helpful. Would be good to ask this question on the forums for your favorite distro. I've been debian/ubuntu centric for a long time. UEFI has complicated things a bunch.

I'm not a huge fan of the single port design, but a MacBook (not the Pro) with bootcamp is apparently one of the best computers to run Windows. I doubt it would have much issues running a Linux disto.

Thanks for the replies.

IsleOfMan: Did you install linux (Debian) on it? if so, how?

dsdwe234sfd23: Your setups are heavily dependant on a solid internet connection, which from my experience, isn't trivial. Even high-end hotels will often have a crappy wifi signal, and internet cafes aren't something I want to count on. I prefer to have everything with me in an as self-sufficient system as possible, and only rely on internet for minor things like emails, accessing websites for info, etc.

Cheers

If it's something for the road, I'd say stick to your bootable USB stick. If the hardware is fried, you still can buy a used backtop on the spot and go on working. This is for Linux, obviously. But your Linux can contain a Windows VM as well.

if the Hotel has a business center , or you go to an internet cafe ,
will a customers USB stick with Linux be a security risk to the network ?

can a bad guy put a virus on the network or access other data on the Hotels network thru the USB stick ?

Why go with hardware you carry? I use SpiderOak. Their application backs up what you tell it to securely and if the laptop craps out, you can get to your files or restore them to the new machine or SSD. They support Linux...

Any public network is insecure. Tethering to the mobile seems like a much safer option.

What's your budget and how much CPU do you need?

The best laptop I'm aware of from a solid business manufacturer from a good screen-to-size/weight perspective is the Dell Latitude 7370 -- it's closely related to the XPS 13. OTOH, it's got a Core m processor and it's really slow for some use.

There are good 12" business ultrabooks -- Dell (E7270) and Lenovo (X260) both have them and I'm pretty sure HP and Toshiba do, too, and the prior generation Broadwell ones (E7250/X250) are fine for most purposes, too. These have Core i U-series CPUs (you probably want the i5-6200U or i5-6300U) and will be a bit more powerful. They're really broadly available refurbished, too.

If you don't care quite as much about durability, the XPS 13 is a great choice.

What's your main laptop? One big plus for a backup is being able to share accessories, particularly the AC power cable. Those tend to be common by manufacturer, so if your main machine is Dell or Lenovo, getting a backup from the same brand is often a plus.

"Best" all depends on your values, but I disagree with that statement rather vehemently. The new(ish) MacBook a slow enough system using the Core M processors that many people (not just power users) are going to have issues, and it has many of the same driver issues as any other Mac when running Windows, and the usual "keyboard layout doesn't quite match" and "touchpad behavior doesn't quite match" problems. It's also quite pricey.

It's always seemed like a nonsensical choice if you're not going to run the MacOS on it.

This is one case where real business machines tend to have an advantage; both Dell and Lenovo advertise something along the lines of a "stable system image" and at least in Dell's case this extends even to different size machines in the same series -- e.g. you can move (or clone) a hard drive between a 14" E5470 and a 15" E5570, and it will work.

This isn't very helpful for consumers, because even a different machine of the same exact model and configuration will require activation, but if you work someplace large enough to have its own key management server for activation, this can be incredibly useful.

If you can do what you need to do on a Chromebook, this is a hard option to beat -- although refurbs of older Lenovo and Dell business models series are nearly as inexpensive.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...6592-_-Product for one example.

How long is a "back up" computer going to be your main computer ?

if its only to the end of the trip you are on , or until you get back home so you can order what you want ,

many times I take a big computer and a small computer , the small one being an older Panasonic toughbook , which I can throw in the day pack and take with me....and it can be replaced for $100 or so.......