backup problem

[Ray Leventhal]

Mahadi Hasan wrote:
> I have created a backup file of my documents on the command line using
> tar utility. Now, I want to update the file periodically without
> creating the backup file of all the documents again from the
> ground-up. How do I update the backup file using tar?
> Name of the file: docs_backup.tar.bz2
> Destination: /home/bb/Public
> Source path: /media/d
> 
> For backing up which method is better? tar utility or a gui
> application? If gui application, what is the name?
> 
For CLI, I've always preferred rsync as a snapshot backup util.  Using 
the -av and --delete flags allows you to backup /source to /target.  The 
first run is long if you've a lot of data to backup, but subsequent runs 
only backup the changed files, deleting on the /target any files which 
no longer exist on the source.

Its not for all purposes, but its a great util to know about.

man rsync for more.

HTH,
-Ray