[Techtalk] backups outside subnet

[Meryll Larkin]

Hi Folks,

I need a backup solution where the backup server on a LAN (with a LAN subnet
address) can perform backups on machines with public IP addresses.

Does anyone have a suggestion of a backup program that runs on Linux that
can do that?

I've tried Bacula and run into a dead end.  Bacula uses 4 daemons, 3 on the
server, one on the client.  The Director Daemon on the Server contacts the
File Daemon on the Server.  The File daemon on the Server speaks to the File
daemon on the Client.  All of that is working fine.  Then the problem:  the
File Daemon on the Client needs to contact the Storage Daemon on the Server
and to do that, it needs either an IP address or Hostname that will resolve
from the Client.

If I owned all the pieces, I'd NAT it in the firewall.  I don't own the
firewall.  One possible solution I found online was an SSH Tunnel.  That
doesn't work in my environment, at least not the way the author wrote it.  I
can't assign a false IP address to my host in /etc/hosts.

My backup media is a File system mounted from a SAN on the backup Server,
otherwise I'd see about using nfs to mount some backup realestate on the
Clients.   I don't own the extra storage space.  The Clients are too small
to hold their own backups.

I don't have the hours to put in to learn and rewrite the Bacula code on my
own and I'm looking for a free or inexpensive solution.  I'm ready to scrap
this whole Bacula thing and try a different solution.

Suggestions would be appreciated!  Anyone with similar requirements using
Amanda?

Thanks,
Meryll