rSyncTrees.sh - Backup & Restore Linux files and folders

👍 Created on BackBox (Ubuntu), tested in Debian, Suse, CentOS, Windows-SL 👍

Rsync should be installed!

Have rSyncTrees executable in your system (optional, better):

• chmod +x /your/path/rSyncTrees.sh
• mv /your/path/rSyncTrees.sh /sbin/rSyncTrees

Optional Variables:

• STORAGE=/the/main/disk/with/space
• otherStorage=/disk/with/space
• rstHOME=/any/dir/forLogsAndConfig
• HELP=off
• ttestMb=555 #by default transfer size for speed measurement
• forward_mail=user@domain.ext
• smtp_server=mail@domain.ext(:25)
• minGbfree=9 #by default disk space remaining triggering warning

Command Line [Options] for #rSyncTrees

• [/dir/path] - short for ONEtime backup - displays ordered size of subfolders or files with similar name
• du - show Sync dir usage
• due - for the Extras dir
• dup - for the Previous dir
• duA - list all storage subfolders
• Rs - restores files and directories
• rp - creates gz.tar recovery point of the sync directory
• Rrp - restores the rp to a folder or to current sync dir
• speed - test rsync backup on configured storage
• old [pattern] - query/remove previous versions | optional grep pattern filter: rSyncTrees old mtab_[0-3][0-9]
• clean [path] - serial destroyer | optional dir to clean: rSyncTrees clean /home/you/folder
• '*' - invalid

The script will run 2 rsync jobs:

• 1 for remote or One-time only,

  • to a sub folder called -Extras-
  • in verbose mode (-vv) on terminal and minimal log
  • has no default --backup option ;
  • has fewer standard exclusions. Hence is more dangerous - (anyway the backup storage is always excluded);
  • can run Onetime only without or along with -Full backup-;
  • will run excluding the Full backup if a path was specified as rSyncTrees argument;
  • can run as basic non-root user;
  • won't allow to backup the root / of the filesystem ;

• 1 to mirror your chosen subfolders of “/”, is the -Full backup-:

  • has a new folder every month -02.2019- for February;
  • runs in info mode on terminal and delivers detailed log;
  • backups / with --include-from-file=//INCbackup.txt, and with standard exclusions;
  • is optimized for SMB storage;
  • has the backup option to put previous files versions in folder -Previous- with a new date suffix every hour (that is, supposing you modify the file and back it up every hour);
  • will run only as root user.

• BOTH jobs

  • ask what dir/file to backup, validate it exists; and ask you to make it permanent for next backups;
  • ask whether to exclude something from the current backup; and whether to make it permanent;
  • are bound to exclusion files;
  • will display the size of the inclusions and exclusions in MB;
  • are able to run non-interactively as crontab job (use #crontab -e) or as nohup;

The first time you run it, it will:

• ask you to choose or create a backup directory in your home; it will create the 3 subdirs: 1 for synchronization, 1 for backup, 1 for onetime/remote jobs;
• create an exclude EXCbackup.txt with and an include INCbackup.txt file in your home, with common ex/inclusions. If you delete them it will recreate them, unless you have configured the rstHOME variable on some specific directory. Also oneEXCbackup.txt is created when Onetime backup runs.

At every run it will:

• if the backup directory is not found it can backup to an alternative storage, defined in /etc/.rsynctrees;
• never create directories if the storage is not defined, but only as subdirs of the Storage;
• allow to run a one-time backup of the chosen path, remote or local;
• show you the disk allocation for the chosen path (if existing) in the 3 storage folders (eg.: /var/log/messages will be found with multiple entries with date suffixes);
• run in Onetime if the directory is specified on command line;
• allow to add the paths entered as permanent in/exclusions.
• otherwise synchonize the included files/dirs to the monthly folder (and delete files no longer present); backup the changes to the “previous” backup directory; backup the extra input to the extra folder.
• create a backup log with end date in the name, and deliver the most recent to the backup directory.
• allow to insert other rsync options (man rsync).
• use "mailx" to send a mail to the server and address specified in the /etc/.rsynctrees with the log attached

More from the author

https://lonblu.wordpress.com/2019/04/12/rsyncrestore-restore-linux-rsync-backups/

Missing and developing features

This lightweight script was created before the author could find valid and stable softwares like Backintime and Timeshift. Timeshift looks like a valid Full backup solution, and Backintime supports SMB storage like rSyncTrees does. But if you prefer avoiding extra software dependencies then consider rSyncTrees as your Linux backup, restore, and storage management swiss knife.

Many restore situations have not been tested, including managing new restore permissions, and some symbolic/hard links (the Full backup is actually archiving those links, that is, copying the source). Also the default inclusions do not include the huge software library directories (/usr, /lib, lib64) that store no user/system new data. Anyhow if they get deleted your system may be broke, so you want to always have a Onetime sync of those, at least.

For now, one is supposed to reinstall Linux and restore the files and directories needed. Share your reports and suggestions for a more automated restore tool for Linux.

The serial destroyer will soon be handling multiple selections...