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2026-02-25 18:39:40 -05:00
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-README.md
+# RIBS - Rod's Incremental Backup System

-This is Rod's Incremental Backup System
+## Description
+
+With RIBS you can run automated incremental backups of one or more Linux systems to local or remote storage.
+
+## Who RIBS is for
+
+RIBS is intended for a system administrator who wants to have easily accessible snapshots of the state
+of a specified part of a system at any point in time.
+
+## Dependencies
+
+Before using RIBS, ensure you have:
+
+* Python3
+* rsync
+
+These can be installed using the package manager of your Linux distribution.
+
+## Instructions for using RIBS
+
+### Install RIBS
+
+1. Download RIBS
+
+    The easiest way is to run `wget https://gitserver.thermionic.net/rod.wright/RIBS/releases/download/2.0/RIBS-2.0.tar.gz`
+
+    or visit https://gitserver.thermionic.net/rod.wright/RIBS/releases to download the specific package version you'd like to use.
+
+2. Extract the package
+
+    `tar -zxvf RIBS-2.0.tar.gz`
+
+3. Change to the extracted package directory
+
+    `cd RIBS-2.0`
+
+4. Run the installer as superuser
+
+    `sudo ./install.sh`
+
+
+### Configure RIBS
+
+RIBS operates through the use of configuration files. The format of the file is documented in the sample file, 
+[/etc/ribs/conf-available/ribs.conf.sample](dist/etc/ribs/conf-available/ribs.conf.sample)
+
+* Superuser configuration files are located in `/etc/ribs/conf-available`. If RIBS is run by a 
+superuser, those files will be used. A sample configuration file is provided.  
+* Standard user configuration files are located in the user's home directory in `.ribs/conf-available`. 
+* To enable automated usage of RIBS, the configuration file must be enabled
+by creating a symbolic link in `/etc/ribs/conf-enabled` or `.ribs/conf-enabled` to the configuration file in `/etc/ribs/conf-available` or `.ribs/conf-available`.
+
+### Run RIBS
+```
+usage: ribs [-h] [-s] [-c | -l | -e CONF_FILE | -d CONF_FILE | conf_file]
+
+Rod's Incremental Backup System, version 2.0
+
+positional arguments:
+  conf_file             Run RIBS using the specified config file. If none
+                        specified, run all enabled config files, looking in
+                        '~/.ribs/conf-enabled' for standard users, or in
+                        '/etc/ribs/conf-enabled' for superusers.
+
+options:
+  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
+  -s, --simulate        simulate operations to be performed
+  -c, --config          interactively create, remove, modify, enable, or 
+                        disable config files
+  -l, --list-configs    list all config files
+  -e CONF_FILE, --enable-config CONF_FILE
+                        enable a config file
+  -d CONF_FILE, --disable-config CONF_FILE
+                        disable a config file
+```
+
+A script called `run_ribs_backups` is located in /usr/local/bin.
+This script is intended to facilitate running ribs backups using cron.
+To run system configs, either create a link to this script in one or
+more of the /etc/cron.* directories or add a line calling this script
+to the /etc/crontab file. That will run all enabled system configs.
+To run user configs, the user should add a line calling this script 
+to their personal crontab. That will run all enabled user configs for
+that user.
+
+## How to report problems
+
+To report an issue with RIBS, email me at software@rodsplace.net.
+
+## Terms of use
+
+RIBS is licensed under the [GNU General Public License v2](LICENSE)

-To install, run sudo ./install.sh