borg backup exmaple

Understanding Borg Backup: A Comprehensive Guide with Examples

BorgBackup, commonly referred to as Borg, is a powerful, open-source backup solution designed for efficient storage and management of backups through features like deduplication, compression, and encryption. This guide aims to provide you with practical examples of using Borg Backup, from installation to creating and restoring backups.

What is BorgBackup?

BorgBackup is a deduplicating archiver that focuses on efficient storage. It ensures that only unique data is stored in the backup repository, minimizing space usage and enhancing the speed of backup operations. It supports various functionalities, making it a preferred choice for individuals and system administrators alike.

Key Features of BorgBackup

• Deduplication: Only unique data is saved, reducing storage requirements.
• Compression: Optional data compression to save space.
• Encryption: Backups can be encrypted for enhanced security.
• Efficient Remote Backups: Capable of backing up data over SSH to remote servers.

Installation of BorgBackup

Before initiating backups, it's essential to install Borg. Here's a streamlined installation guide for popular Linux distributions:

Debian/Ubuntu

sudo apt update
sudo apt install borgbackup

CentOS/RHEL

sudo yum install epel-release
sudo yum install borgbackup

Arch Linux

sudo pacman -S borg

For detailed information on installation on various systems, refer to the official documentation on Borg Backup Quick Start [2].

Creating a Backup Repository

Once Borg is installed, you'll need to create a backup repository. This repository will store your backups.

borg init --encryption=repository /path/to/your/repository

Replace /path/to/your/repository with your desired path. The --encryption=repository option enables encryption on the repository level.

Example: Backing Up Files

To back up a directory (e.g., /home/user/documents), use the following Borg command:

borg create --progress /path/to/your/repository::my-backup-{now:%Y-%m-%d} /home/user/documents

• /path/to/your/repository: Your Borg repository path.
• my-backup-{now:%Y-%m-%d}: This creates a backup archive named with the current date.

Pruning Old Backups

Periodically, it's essential to manage your backup repository to save space. Borg provides a pruning feature:

borg prune --list /path/to/your/repository --keep-daily=7 --keep-weekly=4 --keep-monthly=12

This command keeps the last seven daily backups, four weekly, and twelve monthly backups.

Restoring Backups

Restoring files from a Borg backup is straightforward. To extract a specific backup, you can use:

borg extract /path/to/your/repository::my-backup-2025-08-18

This command will restore the backup made on August 18, 2025, to the current directory.

Additional Resources and Learning

If you're looking for deeper dives into BorgBackup, consider these resources:

• Video Tutorial: A visual guide to setting up and using Borg can be found on YouTube [1].
• Detailed Installation Guide: For configuration assistance, check out Hetzner [5].
• Managing Backups: For comprehensive management tips, visit Synaptica [7].

Conclusion

BorgBackup is an excellent tool for anyone looking to implement an efficient and robust backup solution. With its features of deduplication, encryption, and ease of use, it stands out as a top choice for personal or professional backup needs. By following the above examples, you can quickly set up, maintain, and restore your data, ensuring your information remains secure and accessible. For further exploration, refer to the official documentation and community forums for support and advanced techniques.