Re: RFS: 'snap2' rsync-based backup program with GUI
Hello Lloyd,
* I see no source package. You really need one. Since you don't need
to compile anything, just specifying where files have to be copied in
the debian/install file should be sufficient. Perhaps search for
artwork packages to find examples.
Johan
On Fri, Jun 11, 2010 at 9:18 AM, Lloyd Standish <lloyd@crnatural.net> wrote:
> Hello DD's:
>
> My name is Lloyd Standish. I am the author and upstream maintainer of
> snap2, a fast, easy-to-use rsync-based backup program with GUI. It is
> considered "tested/stable" after several months of testing. I first
> released it publicly in 2009, but I used a previous version of the script
> (no GUI) for years. Snap2 is licensed under GNU GPL version 3. The Debian
> package is Lintian-clean.
>
> You may already be thinking, "There are already lots of backup programs in
> Debian." True, but I believe none of them makes hard-linked snapshot-type
> backups easily available for less-technical Debian user, yet with
> flexibility and power to please even the most advanced users.
>
> The snap2 package consists of 3 bash shell scripts, with the GUI implemented
> via gtkdialog. There is a non-interactive bash shell script (snap2engine)
> and an interactive GUI (snap2) for configuring and optionally running the
> backup. Since this program is normally configured and run via the snap2 GUI,
> no manual editing of configuration files or running from the command line is
> needed (unless it is used in a non-graphical environment, which is
> possible).
>
> snap2's principal feature is rotating 'snapshot' backups to either local or
> remote hard disk backup media. (It can also do 'mirror' type - single copy
> - backups.) A snapshot backup is a full backup of your files as they were
> at a given moment in time. With snapshot backups you can recover any of
> several past versions of files.
>
> When using the snapshot backup method, snap2/rsync uses hard links to
> duplicate identical files on the backup drive. This greatly reduces the
> disk space required on the backup drive, allowing (in most cases) several
> gigs of backup 'snapshots' to fit on a one-gig USB flash drive. These
> snapshot backups function just like full backups - no special software
> needed. You can access them with any file manager, and use cool file
> comparison tools to explore the differences between files.
>
> As I'm sure most of you know, when backing up a file that was modified since
> the last backup, the rsync backend only needs to transmit the changed
> *portions* of the file in order to create the new backup file. This saves
> bandwidth, particularly important for backup to a remote host (via
> Internet).
>
> In sum, snap2 combines the convenience of full backups with the speed and
> backup storage economy of incremental backups.
>
> The idea of using hard links and rsync to create fast, space-saving snapshot
> backups is not a new one, but snap2 is unique (I believe) because of the
> GUI, which is used for (1) configuring backups, (2) running them on demand,
> and (3) setting up 'Automatic Backups' (via cron). It and its dependencies
> are also very lightweight.
>
> I'd like to get this into Debian because I believe it would be very useful
> to many, and because I would like to give back to the Debian community. I
> am fully capable of maintaining it, as I have done since I introduced it
> last year. Of course, I hope to eventually become a Debian Developer
> myself.
>
> snap2 is already accepted into the latest Puppy Linux (Quirky) and has been
> praised by Puppy users.
>
> Some links:
> My snap2 project page on the Puppy forum:
> http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=374387#374387
> The project website: http://www.linuxbackups.org
> download: http://files.lstandish.com/utilities
>
> PS I had to change file locations as part of the Debianization. I hope this
> did not break something (I have run several tests and all looks OK.)
>
> --
> Lloyd
>
>
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