Am I doing this right?

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#25

For anyone interested, I’m using a slightly different approach to this that makes working with multiple directories/repositories super easy. I haven’t found it specifically mentioned or documented, so figured I’d post it here alongside the other strategies posted above.

Basically, after you init a main/central repository, you can then use the add command to add other directories you want to backup. The trick is using the -repository option with the same storage as the main repository. For example:

cd ~
duplicacy init home gcd://Backups
duplicacy add -repository /mnt/work work work gcd://Backups

Then to backup each directory/repository:

duplicacy backup # backup home repository
duplicacy backup -storage work # backup work repository

It’s also possible to list or prune all repositories at once:

duplicacy list -all # list all snapshots from all repositories
duplicacy prune -all -keep X:X # prune all repositories at once

The nice thing about this method is you only have one central .duplicacy folder in the main repository, with a single preferences file listing all of your repositories/storages.

I’m not sure if there are any unapparent downsides, but it’s been working great for me for over a month of daily backups, pruning and several restores.

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#26

After using this method for a while, I wanted to post an update for completeness. Even though you have a single .duplicacy folder, you still basically need to manage each repo separately, or remember to use -all in other cases. If you don’t need differing backup times or retention policies, it’s not really worth the extra steps.

I’m currently using the symlink method with a dedicated repository root folder, and I couldn’t be happier. You have everything related to your backups in its own central location, with an immediate overview of the top-level folders being backed up, and every duplicacy operation is just one short command away.

I’d definitely recommend the symlink method if you’re someone who likes to keep things simple, and only look into the other methods if you need more granular control.