[auton-users] Backup Policy

[Jacob Joseph]

Hi.
I'd like to announce that we've implemented nightly backups of all users' home 
directories.  In short, we have the space to back up 10GB per user and store 
it for 3 months.  

Here's how you can be backed up:
* If your home directory is under 10GB in size, it will be backed up 
automatically.  You can check with "du -sh ~".

* If it is over 10GB, your data WILL NOT BE BACKED UP. You must create a list 
of files to be backed up.  It should be in the root of your home directory, 
called "backup.lst".  Each line in "backup.lst" is relative to your home 
directory and can specify either a directory or file.  Lines beginning with 
"#" are comments.  For example, here's my backup.lst 
(/mnt/BigPapa/home/jacob/backup.lst):
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Jacob's backup.lst

# some files
backup.lst
idl_linux.alpha.tar.gz

# some directories
# Note they may be specified with or without a /
backup
.ssh/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Be sure that your backup.lst does not specify more than 10GB of files, or it 
will nothing will be backed up.  You can check with: du -sc $(cat 
backup.lst|grep -v "#")

* Backups begin at 1 am every night, in alphabetical order of users

* Full backups are stored on the first of every month.  Incrementals occur 
every sunday for the current month, and for every day in the current week.


While this is primarily in case of catestrophic loss/corruption of our 
file-server, we will of course be able to restore your files if you 
accidentally delete them, for example.  Send such requests to: 
admin at autonlab.org .  I recommend everyone check the size of their home 
directory as soon as possible so as to be included.  I will send e-mail to 
over-size users.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to let me know.

-Jacob Joseph