Re: Problems with backup after using rdiff-backup-delete.py

[Brian Gupta]

So I work with OP, and am trying to sort out our path forward.

We have been using rdiff-backup for over 7 years, and we generally
keep backups indefinitely. A few years ago or so, we had to remove
certain PII data from our backups, for contractual reasons. The
ability to do these selective deletions is now an ongoing requirement.

We contracted with rdiff-backup's primary maintainer at the time,
sol1, to add this functionality for us, and they offered to write it
as an open source contribution, as they said it was a very common
request. When they did this work for us, there was no indication that
it wouldn't be production ready. (We paid extra for a thorough
validation.)

This is something I understand has now changed, as they are no longer
the primary maintainer and are disparaging the tool on a public
mailing list. [1] No bad blood here, we understand that open source is
hard, and companies' priorities change.

At the end of the day, we need a file-based backup system, that is
relatively space efficient, supports remote network backups, supports
frequent backups, allows indefinite storage, and allows us to
completely purge directories.

Ideally we don't want to change backup systems. Can rdiff-backup be
this system, with a little extra dev effort?

If so, would anyone be willing to help us sort this out on a contract
basis? Need:
1) fix current broken backup state
2) fix existing delete tool, or write a new one. In either case tool
should be up to the standards of the rdiff-backup community, and
considered production ready.

Thanks,
Brian Gupta

[1] - 
https://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/rdiff-backup-users/2019-11/msg00003.html