Setup rsnapshot on your mac

rsnapshot will take snapshots of any folders you specify. The default config file uses these most recent intervals:

• 48 hourly
• 15 daily
• 4 weekly
• 5 monthly

Overview

1. Install rsnapshot
2. Setup rsnapshot
3. Create background services
4. Run background services

Runs all services under the user (not root)

Suggestion

• Create a backup partition using Disk Utility

Install rsnapshot

1. brew install rsnapshot

Setup rsnapshot

1. cp /usr/local/Cellar/rsnapshot/<VERSION>/etc/rsnapshot.conf.default /usr/local/Cellar/rsnapshot/<VERSION>/etc/rsnapshot.conf
2. Edit the rsnapshot.conf file
   1. Simple setup: copy the sample file
      1. line 23: set backup location
         • snapshot_root /Volumes/TimeMachine/backups # UPDATE ME
      2. line 127: set the <USER> value
      3. line 226: set what to backup
         • backup /Users/<USER>/CODE/ localhost/ #UPDATE ME
3. test the config file with rsnapshot configtest
4. fake snapshot with rsnapshot -t hourly
5. run your first snapshot with rsnapshot hourly and make sure no errors arise

Create background services

1. copy com.maximusmccann.rsnapshot.hourly.plist to /Library/LaunchAgents/
2. copy com.maximusmccann.rsnapshot.daily.plist to /Library/LaunchAgents/
3. copy com.maximusmccann.rsnapshot.weekly.plist to /Library/LaunchAgents/
4. copy com.maximusmccann.rsnapshot.monthly.plist to /Library/LaunchAgents/

Run background services

1. run launchctl load com.maximusmccann.rsnapshot.hourly.plist
2. run launchctl load com.maximusmccann.rsnapshot.daily.plist
3. run launchctl load com.maximusmccann.rsnapshot.weekly.plist
4. run launchctl load com.maximusmccann.rsnapshot.monthly.plist

Other

1. To disable: launchctl unload com.maximusmccann.rsnapshot.*.plist

Resources

• http://rsnapshot.org/rsnapshot/docs/docbook/rest.html
• https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/BPSystemStartup/Chapters/CreatingLaunchdJobs.html