How do you backup on Linux Manjaro?

Nowadays I do:

rsync -aAXv --exclude-from exclude.txt /SOURCE /TARGET
or
rsync -aAXvn --exclude-from exclude.txt /SOURCE /TARGET
to do a simulation first.

runs pretty quik.

I use BTRFS. Before and after installation of packages from repository and AUR ro-snapshots are made automatically from the entire system including /home and except /var. Additional hourly ro-snapshots over the last 12h from /home. All on same SSD. Then daily from root and home differntial backups to external SSD formated with BTRFS and trough SSH-tunnel. Take about 5 seconds. This external SSD contains a separate Manjaro System, bootable, and are connected on USB. All my 3 machines backup on this SSD. Recovery is possible on each system with his own snapshots or even on harder damage from this external backup SSD with his bootable system.

I regularly back up my data manually to a second hard drive 1:1. The system itself with timeshift. However, I have often wondered if this is even necessary. I have never really needed it in recent years. Otherwise, it’s a comforting thought to have a way to quickly restore the system in case of an emergency. I’m not good enough with my Linux knowledge to be able to restore a system any other way (reinstallation excluded).

I learned the hard way not to rely solely on Timeshift, segfaulted after a system crash and there was no way to restore. After that I’m also doing regular Rescuezilla images.

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