Need some help with my backup idea.

[Jelle de Jong]

I am looking for my ideal backup method.
So the last few months i have been testing several methods.

I will describe first what for effect I want.

Output must result in a one file image that can be mounted and read with 
the mount tool. (like a dd image)

Output file must be smaller of equal to the files that are backup. So 
only file on the filesystem must be stored. (not like dd that takes all)

Output file must be able to split in like 2 gig files and individual 
mountable. But as a pair restorable or able to join to one file.

All file stored in the image must come out like they came in (not like 
some standard iso image)

Processing of backup an restore must be as fast possible.

If it can be done I would like it to work on all open filesystems

Thinks I tried out:
(rsync, tar, gzip, dd ect, dump)

example:

First fill up the unused space with zeros so compression is faster
dd if=/dev/zero > ~/bigfile.file
rm ~/bigfile.file

Then create a dd image (this is already flawed because it now takes all 
sectors)
cd /mnt/hda3/
sudo dd if=/dev/hda1 | gzip -9 - | 7z a -si -mx=0 -v2g backup-image.iso.7z

Or this: sudo apt-get install p7zip
sudo dd if=/dev/hda1 | 7z a -si -mx=1 -v2g backup-image.iso.7z
7z x image.7z.001

The thinks will not work like a want.

I was thinking about some method that copies all files form the backup 
dir,partion or disk and put in in some virtual crowing file. (so that al 
file specs are still there but the file is only as big as the used space 
on the backup media)
Now create dd image of the virtual file and you have a mountable file 
that is only as big as the used space on the backup media.

But this will not cover the split an join function.

The sad thing is that the ghost program can do almost al these thinks 
but I can't get it done with a Linux program.

Can some one give me some help on how to create this effect.