Question

Using only the command line, is it possible to tell if a rsync backup (on a NAS) and the original folder tree (on a web server) are exactly the same? I mean in terms of file sizes, attributes, and symbolic links?

I feat the most for symbolic links. In case of a hard-drive failure – let's say I can solve all the booting issues – will I be able to put back all the files with all the symbolic links done right and their permissions / attributes?

Context
I am setting up an rsync backup system in which my NAS (arm processor) connects to my dedicated webserver hosted far far away and does a backup of the / partition. 

In case of a disk crash, I plan on making the exact same partition setup on the new disk, on installing the same operating system (14.04) so I get the MBR / boot loader in place. 

Then I will rsync back the backup from the NAS to the server, reboot and cross my fingers.

The issue is that I will only know if everything works the day I need the backup…. But I can take measures to know if it will work before. One of them is checking that every single file, folder, sym link… in the backup has the same permissions, attributes, whatever than the original. I also need to check that the sym links and similar are correctly done.

The options I use with rsync are :

rsync -rlptgoDXvxzH --numeric-ids --exclude={"/dev/*","/proc/*","/sys/*","/tmp/*","/run/*","/mnt/*","/media/*","/lost+found"}


The option A is causing issues.

EDIT: ADDITIONAL INFO

What I am looking for is a working backup strategy that will allow me:

– to perform blazing fast backups.
Because I do backup the / system partition, I take most services down on the server (apache, postfix, dovecot, mysql, etc.) so I can have a safe backup. Any solution such as rsync is good, because I can update a mirror directory on the NAS. Then, offline, I can take care of the backup strategy (incremental, etc…) from the updated mirror.

– to have fast restore (I don't want to transfer a 100 GB disk image).
I have a really really fast connection between the NAS and the server. I mean really fast. Transferring a 10 GB disk image is a matter of minutes.

What I can't do: change the physical setup of the hosted server. I have one 500 GB disk. That's all.

What I can do: boot the server in a rescue mode in which the disk isn't mounted at all. Rescue mode even works with a dead disk. I use this mode to perform binary images of partitions.

Current setup: 
/     10 GB, 17 % full
SWAP 512 Mo
/var  80 GB
/bkup the rest… to 500 GB.


Question: How do I deal with a clinic billing mistake that was sent to collections?
Answer: This happened to me when I went to buy my house. I had an "outstanding" $48 and $150 in medical bills due. When I paid them, I got checks 8 weeks later for the exact amounts I'd written, stating that it was over-payment. When I called the hospital, they said that collections didn't have updated billing records.

1) Contact the clinic

Ask if you actually owe anything. They'll be able to pull all of the billing records for your account. If you do owe something, let them know that your insurance was supposed to cover that. If they insist that insurance doesn't / didn't, then you're liable for whatever is left. If it has gone to collections, you'll have to pay through the collections company, not directly to the clinic.

2) Contact the collections company

They are notoriously bad at keeping their records up-to-date, and will continue to report "unpaid medical" until you pay it or they clear it. If the clinic says you're paid up, let them know that. They will contact the clinic to get the billing records. Once that's cleared up, move on to...

3) Contact the credit bureaus where this is affecting your history

You can dispute an item to have it removed. They will contact the collections company and raise the dispute. If you've contacted collections, and they know you don't owe anything, they'll clear it when the dispute reaches them. 

This process can take a few months to complete (and for the bad mark to be removed from your report). In general, a single $250 medical bill past due doesn't have a huge effect on your credit score, but it's always good to get it cleared up.