POSIX Backup

POSIX Backup is a simply but powerful POSIX shell script which can be used to backup files.

It's written with an extensive use of comments that helps to understand and easily modify its content.

This script supports incremental backups, compression, GPG encryption and more...

Getting started

First, clone the repository using git (recommended):

git clone https://github.com/cybernova/POSIX_Backup/

or download the script manually.

Then set the execution permission to the script:

 $chmod +x POSIX_backup.sh

Usage

The syntax is very simple:

./POSIX_backup.sh [OPTION...] [SRC...] [DEST]

Options

Backup tools:
-t          #Using of the TAR tool
-r          #Using of the RSYNC tool

General options:
-l FILE     #Log file (argument required as FILE)		

Tar options:
-e USER ID  #GPG encryption (argument required as USER ID)	
-g FILE     #Incremental backup (argument required as FILE)
-c 	        #Standard gzip compression

Rsync options:
-n          #Perform a trial run with no changes made

• 0 Arguments:

The script reads the files to backup from a configuration file backup_include.conf that must exist in the directory .posix_backup/ in the user's home directory that launched the script. An example of backup_include.conf could be something like this:

-t -c /home/user/.posix_backup /home/user/Pictures /home/user/Documents /media/USB/user/Backup.tar.gz
-r -l /home/andrea/Destination/MusicBackup.log /home/user/Music /home/user/Downloads/*.mp3 /media/Destination

Pathname expansion is supported.

An another configuration file backup_exclude.conf that specifies what files to exclude from the backup, with a PATTERN specified in rsync's man pages, but it's the same for tar too, at the section: INCLUDE/EXCLUDE PATTERN RULES, could be created in the same .posix_backup/ directory. An example of backup_exclude.conf could be something like this:

**/.gvfs/
**/.cache*/
**/.Trash*/
**/.thumbnail/
**/Downloads/

This configuration file is used, if present, in every invocation of the script.

• 1 Argument:

The script checks the Real User Id of the user that launched the script and chooses a different backup strategy depending on that value:

root: backup of /etc /home /root /var -> to the destination specified as argument.

others: backup of the user's home directory -> to the destination specified as argument.

• 2+ Arguments:

Files to backup are specified as script's arguments.

Tested Environments

• GNU/Linux

If you have successfully tested this script on others systems or platforms please let me know.