Old code and backup intervals

[mtbc]

I had previously mentioned how I have rotated backup volumes so as to have uneven intervals between them, unlike the serially consecutive rotation that I hear is typical in institutional IT. This provides me both recent backups and some rather old ones. I have been overhauling my backups at home lately and I recalled that I had once written software to generate a schedule of backup volume rotations so as to achieve a good spread of intervals. In reviewing what I have transfered to my latest set of backup volumes I find that I still have this schedule-generating program; apparently I wrote it in 2003. Perhaps I should adapt and publish it. Though, it isn't as applicable at the moment when I have fewer, larger volumes: for truly incremental intra-volume backups I can use rsync with --link-dest and share space among them. With each volume thereby holding many incrementals I can make do with just three volumes: one in use, one in the fire safe, one off-site. At least in this latest overhaul I remembered to have an off-site copy of the new encryption key; my notes hadn't included that step.