From: ldo@nz.invalid   
      
   On Mon, 23 Jun 2025 18:51:18 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:   
      
   > On 23/06/2025 11:25, Chris Elvidge wrote:   
   >>   
   >> I use rsync regularly to backup remote systems using ssh, where   
   >> known_hosts and authorized_keys are correctly populated (eg):   
   >> rsync $OPTIONS remotehost:/ localdir/   
   >> to copy a whole remote host to a local directory system.   
   >>   
   > I also do this with an rsyncd on the far end ...   
      
   I’ve never found a use for rsyncd. All my network-based rsyncs have   
   been point-to-point connections via SSH.   
      
   Regarding the --link-dest option, here’s how you might use it.   
      
   First backup:   
      
       rsync «options» «remotehost»:«dir» «local-backup-root»/«backup1»/   
      
   (This will be a full backup.)   
      
   Next backup:   
      
       rsync «options» --link-dest=«local-backup-root»/«backup1»/ \   
           «remotehost»:«dir» «local-backup-root»/«backup2»/   
      
   This avoids re-copying any files that haven’t changed since the   
   previous backup, so the additional disk space needed would be the same   
   as for an incremental backup. However, the clever thing is, the result   
   still looks like a full backup for restoration purposes.   
      
   Typically the names «backup1», «backup2» etc will have a timestamp   
   somewhere in them, as an obvious way to have unique names that also   
   mean something.   
      
   And so on:   
      
       rsync «options» --link-dest=«local-backup-root»/«backup2»/ \   
           «remotehost»:«dir» «local-backup-root»/«backup3»/   
      
   When you get to 7 backups (or whatever your desired limit of old   
   versions is), you can get rid of the oldest remaining one as you do a   
   new one:   
      
       rm -rf «local-backup-root»/«backup1»/   
      
   and continue from there. Files that were superseded in later backups   
   will disappear, while those that were not will remain.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)