Installing rdiff-backup

Installing the server-side packages

Before we install any packages we should ensure that the correct use-flags will be used so that all required functionality is made available and unnecessary functionality is not included. At the time of writing the app-backup/rdiff-backup package only has two dependencies which are not already installed on a standard Gentoo Linux installation and neither has any use-flags to worry about. The use-flags used when merging the app-backup/rdiff-backup package are shown below for your convenience. As usual feel free to add and remove use-flags at will although the minimum set which are required for using this guide in its entirety are shown below

Once you are confident that the correct use-flags are set for the app-backup/rdiff-backup package, and any dependencies it may require, you can proceed with the installation by issuing the emerge command shown below.

If you are using extended filesystem-stored metadata you will need to set the xattr  use-flag when merging app-backup/rdiff-backup or this data will be lost during the transfer process.

 

Installing the client-side packages

If you wish to use app-backup/rdiff-backup to make backups of remote machines then you will also need to ensure that the required client software is installed. Luckily the app-backup/rdiff-backup application has minimal dependencies and most of those packages are already present on a default Gentoo Linux installation.