I had to [re-install](/blog/setting-up-my-environment-in-fedora/) so I documented my process. In this post, I focus on getting my data backed up so that I can restore it after the installation. --- Whatever isn't in git gets archived. This is mainly my home directory. I want it backed up to my VM at [CloudAfrica](https://www.cloudafrica.net/) and to my external HDD. If I have learned anything in this process it is that my SSH keys are the most vital piece of bits that I own and that I need one copy in a _safe_ location. _Whatever safe means in this world._ ## Archive ```bash tar cpzvf .tar.gz /home/ ``` - -c, --create - -p, --preserve-permissions, --same-permissions - -z, --gzip, --gunzip, --ungzip - -v, --verbose - -f, --file=ARCHIVE ## Copy to server ```bash rsync -avzh @:/path/to/copy/to/.tar.gz /path/to/copy/from/.tar.gz ``` - -a, --archive - -v, --verbose - -z, --compress - -h, --human-readable _I had a few permissions hiccups trying to tar my home directory so I took extra [steps](/blog/setting-up-my-environment-in-fedora/) to tackle these problems._ ## Remote Git Repository I use my own remote git repository for directories that contain sensitive information. I followed these [instructions](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-on-the-Server-Setting-Up-the-Server) to get set up. Create a `git` user and allow `ssh` access to authorized users. On the local machine copy the public key `cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub` (or whichever public key you use) and paste it into `.ssh/authorized_keys` after it has been created. ```bash ssh @ sudo adduser git su git mkdir /.ssh && chmod 700 /.ssh touch .ssh/authorized_keys && chmod 600 .ssh/authorized_keys ``` Create the `.git` project and initialize it. ```bash cd /srv/git mkdir project.git cd project.git git init --bare ``` Configure the git repo locally and point to the newly created remote repository. ```bash cd /home//path/to/project git init git add . git commit -m "Initial commit" git remote add origin git@:/srv/git/project.git git push origin master ``` _If you have problems pushing, check that the directory permissions are not assigned to root `ls -lah`. Assign the files and folders to git using `sudo chown git _`\* ## Global save-to-git script Let's take a practical example: I want to store my [Gnote](https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Gnote) notes to my remote repository. 1. Create a bash script `save-gnote` and add it to git. Make it add all unstaged files in the gnote directory and commit them using a timestamp in the commit message then push to origin. ```bash #!/bin/bash cd /home//.local/share/gnote git add . git commit -m "Backup $(date +%s)" git push origin master ``` 2. Give the script execution rights `chmod a+x save-gnote`. 3. Create a symlink to access the script from anywhere. ```bash ln -s /home//.local/share/gnote/save-gnote /usr/local/bin/save-gnote ``` 4. Access `save-gnote` from any directory in the terminal.