Install rsnapshot

sudo apt install rsnapshot

Configure rsnapshot

In order to configure rsnapshot, you need to edit /etc/rsnapshot.conf

Important

• rsnapshot.conf requires tabs (not spaces) between parameter elements
• Directories require a trailing slash (i.e. /path/to/myfolder/)

1. Specify the root directory for storing snapshots

   1. Modify the snapshot_root parameter

2. Uncomment cmd_cp

   http://rsnapshot.org/howto/1.2/rsnapshot-HOWTO.en.html#cmd_cp

3. Configure backup intervals

   http://rsnapshot.org/howto/1.2/rsnapshot-HOWTO.en.html#interval

   1. Intervals are listed by frequency and number

   2. The shortest intervals must be listed first

      Example (7 daily intervals, 4 weekly, 12 monthly):

      interval daily 7
      interval weekly 4
      interval monthly 12
      

4. Configure the locations you want backed up

   http://rsnapshot.org/howto/1.2/rsnapshot-HOWTO.en.html#backup

   1. Backups are relatively simple: source and destination. Path will be preserved. Localhost is the conventional destination folder when storing backups locally

      Example:

      backup /home/user/ localhost/
      backup /etc/default/grub localhost/
      backup /etc/default/ufw localhost/
      backup /etc/rsnapshot.conf localhost/
      backup /etc/ufw/ufw.conf localhost/
      backup /opt/eclipse/eclipse.ini localhost/
      

5. Test your rsnapshot configuration file

   sudo rsnapshot configtest
   sudo rsnapshot -t daily
   

6. Add rsnapshot to crontab to enable it

   $ sudo vim /etc/cron.d/rsnapshot
   
   # 0 */4 * * * root /usr/bin/rsnapshot hourly
   30 3   * * * root /usr/bin/rsnapshot daily
   0  3   * * 1 root /usr/bin/rsnapshot weekly
   30 2   1 * * root /usr/bin/rsnapshot monthly