Using rsync to make local backups

Alright, I recently bought a new dual Xeon server for one of the sites I manage. The server currently uses a RAID0 array using 74.6gb 10k RPM Western Digital Raptor drives, and it has a 150gb hard drive dedicated to backups only.

Now, seeing as RAID0 isn't exactly good for drive failure, we will be upgrading to RAID5 in the near future, but until then we need to make backups to /backup. The situation is that running a tar and gzip command across 3Ware RAID controllers and using Xeon's causes a problem with IOWAIT to raise to a high number. When tarring and gzipping, the IOWAIT goes to 60% through 100%. However, while running rsync, IOWAIT hovers around 5% to 10%.

I want to know if this idea sounds like a good one: I want to run the following command every night at midnight:

rsync -arzgopu -e ssh /hsphere/local/home/kaitou root@localhost:/backup

A localhost rsync. That seems to be a much faster way and less server-intesive way for doing things. Does anyone else agree with me on this? Also, other than "-e ssh" what can I use?

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

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