Back In Time
Return to Linux Backup, rsync, btrfs, TimeShift
https://github.com/bit-team/backintime
Simple Cron Based Backups – Back In Time
When it comes to simple, cron based backup capabilities for periodic snapshots, Back In Time is a superb open solution included in many Linux distro repositories. Developed specifically for endpoint protection across desktops, laptops and servers, it neatly handles file versioning to local or networked storage.
Over 4 million installations make Back In Time one of the most adopted endpoint agents particularly among non-technical teams wanting set-and-forget data protection. The intuitive GUI coupled with reliability has garnered praise.
Key Capabilities
Wizard based configuration for destinations and schedules Source folder flexible inclusion/exclusion Timestamped snapshot hierarchy for easy browsing Retention policies by age/size/count avoid uncontrolled growth AES256 encryption safeguards data at rest CLI access permits automation friendly control Community maintained offering continues evolving Table view of key capabilities:
Feature Capability Why It Matters Breadth Linux endpoints via CLI, desktop icon No dependencies suits simple deployments Depth Hourly to monthly with retention rules Balance frequency and storage constraints Width Local disk, NAS, SSH/SFTP networked storage Leverage existing server capacity Verify CLI md5 checks support integrity checks Ensure recoverability through hashing Control Unified desktop view status per endpoint Simplifies monitoring backup coverage Restore Native browser views previous snapshots Rapidly recover lost file versions Contain AES 256 encryption secures data pre-transfer Blocks leakage if drives stolen In my early admin days, I relied heavily on Back In Time to cover developer workstations thanks to the simplicity coupled with encryption. It was fast to deploy at scale.
The unified status dashboard also meant we supported remote workers way before cloud infrastructure became mainstream.
Hands-on Experience
I still use Back In Time monthly for pet projects safeguarding config changes across personal servers with simple cron jobs:
- Monthly full backup to external USB HDD
0 0 1 * * /usr/bin/backintime –backup-mode=full /etc /root /home/proj_folder /backup_mount/server01 Restores involve picking the right snapshot date and copying files back manually.
Overall, I‘d recommend Back In Time strongly for non-engineers needing periodic protection across desktop or server filesystems without heavy retention needs. The 18,000+ GitHub stars don‘t lie!