Incremental Backup Tool

gibney.org : Technology : Linux : Incremental Backup Tool

(Entry Nr. 345, by user 1 | edit)

A shellscript that makes marvelous incremental backups 
 
Usage: ge_backup.sh /some/folder/ my_backup

<div class=div_content_code>#!/bin/bash

if [ $# -ne 2 ]
then
 echo
 echo "incremental backup"
 echo "usage: ge_backup.sh <source> <destination>"
 echo "example: ge_backup.sh /some/where/data/ backup"
 echo
 exit 1
fi

rsync --delete \
 -avu \
 --backup \
 --backup-dir=$(pwd)/$2.history/$(date +%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S) \
 $1 \
 $2 \
 | tee -a $2.log
</div>
 
Characteristics of the backups: 
 
2 Backupfolders: 
 
data 
data.history 
 
You can rewind the contents of data by performing these 2 actions for every history-point: 
 
1) Delete all files younger (linux command stat) then the history point 
2) Copy all files from the history point back to the data folder 
 
<h2>Known alternatives:</h2>
 
rdiff-backup - This is the way to go! 
rdiff-backup does incremental backups not only on a file basis, but also on an "in file" basis that even works with binary files. So it keeps the history of each file in a very efficient way. It also has nice tools compare, recreate etc. 
 
git - The version control system 
Might be worth a try. But at the moment git doesnt track empty directories (see http://kerneltrap.org/mailarchive/git/2007/7/17/251902)

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